What is the problem?

We are putting too much that is harmful into the ocean, from toxic chemicals to sewage and oil, all of which is poisoning ocean life and threatens human health as well. Heavy metals are among the most harmful pollutans in the environment and can cause cancer, acute poisoning and damage to the nervous system, muscles and bones.
 
The high levels of mercury that reach the oceans are seriously contaminating many marine organisms. Various health authorities have warned about the danger of consuming large amounts of certain fish, such as sharks, catfish and swordfish.
 
Land-based air pollution often results in fish contaminated with toxics such as mercury. One of the leading sources of the high levels of mercury contamination in the sea is emissions from the chlorine-alkaline industry. According to information from Oceana, some 60 plants around the European Union and the United States annually emit more than 22 tonnes of this dangerous heavy metal into the atmosphere, which affects marine life to very worrying levels, including species destined for human consumption.
 
Oceana believes that it is inexcusable for the EU and US to maintain an industry that is as old and obsolete as the mercury cell technology used for manufacturing chlorine.

Read more about mercury and the chlor-alkali industry >>