A new government commissioned report has found mercury poison levels in Grassy Narrows are still in the highest risk categories.
The document indicates mercury levels in the sediment of Grassy Narrows’ Wabigoon River remain up to 20-times above natural levels, while fish are up to 15-times above consumption guidelines.
It also finds that in Ball Lake, the mercury concentration has been steadily increasing, meaning its higher now than in the 1970′.
The report warns all other downstream basins have the potential to increase over time.
It adds people have been adversely affected for multiple generations and children on the First Nation have been diagnosed as having symptoms consistent with mercury poisoning.
Chief Roger Fobister Sr. says they shared their land and water and expected it be kept pristine, but they have failed and destroyed their culture.
The First Nation says the Wabigoon River is the site of one of Canada’s most infamous environmental health disasters which began when 9-thousand kilograms of mercury were dumped by the Dryden paper mill in the 1960’s.
