158:, which found that the free mercury level in the atmosphere of Kodaikanal was 1000 times more than what is found in normal conditions. Analysis of water, sediment and fish samples collected from Kodaikanal Lake by a team of scientists of the Department of Atomic Energy showed elevated levels of mercury four years after the stoppage of mercury emissions. A series of scientific studies have also been carried out by Governmental and non-governmental organisations to determine the extent of damage caused to the environment and to the people who were exposed to mercury in the factory.
183:(NEERI) to finalise the scope for remediation, which was vehemently opposed by environmentalists. In 2006, the plant, machinery and materials used in thermometer manufacturing at the site were decontaminated and disposed of as scrap to industrial recyclers. In the following year, NEERI conducted trials at the factory for remediation of the contaminated soil on site, and recommended a remediation protocol of soil washing and thermal retorting. These were hotly contested by environmental groups under the leadership of Nityanand Jayaraman. Ultimately, the
110:
a quantity of 5.3 metric tonnes of glass containing 0.15% residual mercury had been sold to a scrap recycler located about three kilometers from the factory, in breach of the company procedures. Quoting a report prepared by an international environmental consultant, Unilever said there was no health effect on the workers of the factory or any impact on the environment. This is hotly contested by a book published by Pan MacMillan in 2023,
251:
Limited (HUL) officials and after a visit to the factory in
October 2007 submitted its report suggesting that there is "no sufficient evidence to link the current clinical condition of the factory workers to the mercury exposure in the factory in the past". Accepting the report, the Madras High Court
246:
constituted a five-member expert committee, with representatives from ITRC, AIIMS and NIOH to decide whether the alleged health conditions of the workers and their families were related to mercury exposure, and recommend whether there was need for a new health study. The
Committee after examining the
109:
forced the company to shut down the factory. Soon the company admitted that it did dispose of mercury contaminated waste. The company said in its 2002 annual report and its latest
Sustainability Report that it did not dump glass waste contaminated with mercury on the land behind its factory, but only
211:
systems existed at the
Kodaikanal factory prior to its closure in 2001. Internal monitoring within the factory and external audits carried out by statutory authorities during the operations of the factory showed that there were no adverse health effects to the workers on account of their employment
190:
Public interest groups contested the soil clean-up criteria and alleged that TNPCB is helping
Unilever clean up to lower standards to cut costs. The acceptable mercury level being suggested by TNPCB is at least 20 times higher than what Unilever would have been required to do if they had caused the
260:
evidence to suggest that not only the workers of the factory, but even the children of the workers, have suffered because of exposure to mercury. The
Ministry submitted its report to the Madras High Court in 2011. It also recommended setting up a Board to examine the extent of damage or disability
100:
and related ailments. Public interest groups such as Tamil Nadu
Alliance Against Mercury (TNAAC) alleged that the Company had been disposing mercury waste without following proper protocols. In early 2001, public interest groups unearthed a pile of broken glass thermometers with remains of Mercury
264:
In March 2016, Hindustan
Unilever entered into an out of court settlement with its ex-employees to provide "undisclosed" ex-gratia payment, in addition to long-term health and well-being benefits, to 511 of its former workers of the thermometer factory who were exposed to toxic mercury vapour.
92:
Pond's moved the factory from the United States to India in 1982 after the plant owned there by its parent, Chesebrough-Pond's, had to be dismantled following increased awareness in developed countries of polluting industries. In 1987, Pond's India and the thermometer factory went to
Hindustan
126:
Once the factory was shut down, public interest groups demanded the return of the remaining mercury waste to the United States for recycling, remediation of the factory site, and address of the health complaints of the workers. Local groups and workers' union under the leadership of
169:
and workers' unions continued to mount pressure on the company to take responsibility for the dumping crimes it had committed and for meddling with a pristine environment. They asked the regulatory bodies to prosecute the company. With these demands, public interest groups led by
141:
led the public affairs groups and workers collaboration in forcing the
Company to collect 290 tonnes of dumped mercury waste from the shola forest and send back to the United States for recycling in 2003. This was widely hailed by the media as ‘reverse dumping’. Later
187:(TNPCB) recommended a remediation standard of up to 20 mg/kg of mercury concentration in soil, which means 95% of the samples analysed after the remediation process should be of less than 20 mg/kg. Consequently, pre-remediation work started in May 2009.
178:
in 2004. Consequently, the company began working with the regulatory body Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to remediate the soil, de-contaminate and scrap the thermometer-making equipment at the Kodaikanal site. The company appointed
22:
199:
After the shut down of the factory, the health specialists from Bangalore-based Community Health Centre conducted a survey among the former workers of the factory. It found that former workers of the factory had visible signs of
191:
same contamination in the United Kingdom, where they are based. They also called for transparency and public participation in the process of deciding the levels of clean-up and in the process of clean-up.
96:
The factory imported mercury from the United States, and exported finished thermometers to markets in the United States and Europe. Around 2001, a number of workers at the factory began complaining of
261:
suffered by workers and their children because of exposure to mercury, and based on the assessment of the Board workers can approach the Employment Compensation Commissioner to seek compensation.
212:
at the factory. It says there had been a comprehensive medical examination conducted by a panel of doctors using a questionnaire developed by Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) of the
111:
220:(IITR); a study by Tom van Teuenbroek of TNO; and a study by IITR, formerly known as Industrial Toxicology Research Centre(ITRC) as directed by a Monitoring Committee set up by the
180:
898:
256:, which is also a respondent in the case before the Madras High Court conducted a detailed study by a team comprising experts from various fields found that there is
105:
forest, which they suspected could have come from the company. In March, a public protest led by local workers' union and international environmental organisation
879:
428:
813:
52:
for export around the world. The exposé of the environmental abuse led to the closure of the factory in 2001 and opened up a series of issues in India such as
857:
969:
253:
232:
979:
228:
217:
573:
526:
452:
678:
290:
959:
184:
610:
213:
939:
964:
208:
402:
552:
131:, represented to the company, regulatory bodies, and the government, besides initiating legal action against the company.
376:
349:
883:
630:
435:
954:
151:
817:
929:
974:
723:"Studies and Reports on environmental pollution and public health hazard caused by Hindustan Lever in Kodaikanal"
242:
seeking directions for conducting a fresh health survey and providing economic rehabilitation. A year later, the
57:
865:
477:
500:
150:
and Navroz Mody led the groups in lobbying for remediation of the site and initiated an investigation by the
934:
216:; a study by the Certifying Surgeon from the Inspectorate of Factories; an assessment by P N Viswanathan of
747:
700:
221:
791:
769:
270:
33:
322:
204:
such as gum and skin allergy and related problems, 'which appeared to be due to exposure to mercury'.
949:
944:
227:
The company says its conclusions of its occupational health surveillance were also endorsed by the
155:
53:
832:
600:
459:
248:
175:
81:
45:
686:
300:
653:
606:
266:
243:
239:
201:
631:"Studies of mercury pollution in a lake due to a thermometer factory situated in Kodaikkanal"
645:
25:
Kodaikanal Lake, the most popular tourist attraction in South India, is also contaminated
722:
629:
D. Karunasagar; M.V. Balarama Krishna; Y. Anjaneyulu; J. Arunachalam (September 2006).
923:
147:
138:
115:
792:"Greenpeace spooks HLL AGM; Demand Public Apology for Kodaikanal Mercury disaster"
649:
559:
265:
Accordingly, the ex-employees withdrew the 'class action litigation' before the
257:
77:
49:
380:
171:
166:
143:
134:
128:
106:
73:
61:
41:
37:
353:
295:
657:
89:
770:"Greenpeace calls on Hindustan Lever to Address Liabilities in Kodaikanal"
85:
238:
In February 2006, a group of ex-employees of the factory approached the
21:
97:
252:
ruled out the need for any fresh health study. In the meantime, the
429:"Update on Kodai for online sustainability report for Unilever.com"
102:
174:
campaign head Shahul spooked the annual general body meeting of
553:"Activists hail 'reverse dumping' as India sends waste to U.S."
527:"Hazardous Waste Is Shipped From India to U.S. Recycling Plant"
350:"Encyclopedia of White-Collar & Corporate Crime, Volume 1"
899:"Kodaikanal mercury poisoning: HUL, ex-staff sign settlement"
858:"Kodaikanal Mercury Factory – Contamination Response, India"
114:, authored by veteran journalist-tuned-public policy leader
478:"Heavy Metal: How a Global Corporation Poisoned Kodaikanal"
112:
Heavy Metal: How a Global Corporation Poisoned Kodaikanal
93:
Unilever when it acquired Cheseborough-Pond's globally.
88:
acquired the thermometer factory from cosmetics maker
181:
National Environmental Engineering Research Institute
679:"Closed Unilver factory source of Mercury Pollution"
605:. New Delhi: Pearson Education India. p. 9.14.
453:"Hindustan Lever Limited Report and Accounts 2002"
403:"Hindustan Lever Admits Dumping Mercury Waste"
377:"Hindustan Lever admits dumping Mercury Waste"
16:Environmental contamination incident in India
8:
772:(Press release). Greenpeace. 8 December 2003
701:"Hindustan Lever Limited Found Guilty again"
501:"HLL mercury waste to leave for NY on May 7"
882:. Unilever. 14 August 2015. Archived from
233:National Institute of Occupational Health
602:Business Ethics And Corporate Governance
574:"India sends hazardous waste back to US"
20:
323:"Chesebrough-Pond's OKs Unilever Offer"
282:
229:All India Institute of Medical Sciences
218:Indian Institute of Toxicology Research
624:
622:
379:. Basel Action Network. Archived from
207:The company claims that comprehensive
7:
831:Nityanand Jayaraman (October 2001).
299:. 29 September 2016 . Archived from
352:. Sage Publications. Archived from
329:. Associated Press. 2 December 1986
727:Struggle for Justice in Kodaikanal
185:Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board
14:
897:Sureshkumar (6 September 2016) .
748:"Prosecute HLL for Forest Crimes"
685:. 17 January 2004. Archived from
254:Ministry of Labour and Employment
214:United States Department of Labor
48:in the process of making mercury
970:Environmental disasters in India
101:from an interior of part of the
476:Shahul, Ameer (February 2023).
375:NGO Coalition (22 March 2001).
68:Mercury pollution in Kodaikanal
980:Environmental history of India
209:occupational safety and health
194:
1:
880:"Update on Kodaikanal, India"
703:. Greenpeace. 4 February 2004
72:The mercury contamination in
650:10.1016/j.envpol.2005.10.032
556:International Herald Tribune
247:ex-workers, questioning the
30:Kodaikanal mercury poisoning
794:. Greenpeace. 4 August 2004
291:"Prevent mercury pollution"
152:Department of Atomic Energy
996:
862:Hindustan Unilever Limited
833:"Unilever's Mercury Fever"
816:. Unilever. Archived from
750:. Greenpeace. 8 March 2004
551:Saritha Rai (8 May 2003).
525:Saritha Rai (7 May 2003).
499:Raja Simhan (4 May 2003).
960:Environment of Tamil Nadu
195:Workers' health problems
58:corporate accountability
638:Environmental Pollution
599:Fernando, A.C. (2010).
505:The Hindu Business Line
162:Remediation of the site
36:at the hill station of
940:Ecological restoration
348:Lawrence M, Salinger.
222:Supreme Court of India
26:
965:Environmental justice
465:on 24 September 2015.
271:High Court of Justice
34:mercury contamination
24:
886:on 6 September 2015.
689:on 22 February 2014.
441:on 23 February 2014.
32:is a proven case of
820:on 4 February 2014.
814:"Kodaikanal, India"
356:on 21 February 2014
156:Government of India
54:corporate liability
955:Pollution in India
868:on 17 August 2015.
531:The New York Times
383:on 28 January 2012
303:on 4 November 2007
249:Hindustan Unilever
176:Hindustan Unilever
82:Hindustan Unilever
46:Hindustan Unilever
27:
930:Mercury poisoning
327:Los Angeles Times
267:Madras High Court
244:Madras High Court
240:Madras High Court
202:mercury poisoning
90:Pond's India Ltd.
80:factory owned by
987:
975:Minamata disease
914:
913:
911:
909:
894:
888:
887:
876:
870:
869:
864:. Archived from
854:
848:
847:
845:
843:
828:
822:
821:
810:
804:
803:
801:
799:
788:
782:
781:
779:
777:
766:
760:
759:
757:
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738:
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735:
733:
719:
713:
712:
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708:
697:
691:
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675:
669:
668:
666:
664:
635:
626:
617:
616:
596:
590:
589:
587:
585:
570:
564:
563:
562:on 11 June 2014.
558:. Archived from
548:
542:
541:
539:
537:
522:
516:
515:
513:
511:
496:
490:
489:
487:
485:
473:
467:
466:
464:
458:. Archived from
457:
449:
443:
442:
440:
434:. Archived from
433:
425:
419:
418:
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399:
393:
392:
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388:
372:
366:
365:
363:
361:
345:
339:
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319:
313:
312:
310:
308:
287:
231:(AIIMS) and the
76:originated at a
995:
994:
990:
989:
988:
986:
985:
984:
920:
919:
918:
917:
907:
905:
896:
895:
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878:
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856:
855:
851:
841:
839:
830:
829:
825:
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811:
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797:
795:
790:
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785:
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753:
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746:
745:
741:
731:
729:
721:
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706:
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699:
698:
694:
677:
676:
672:
662:
660:
633:
628:
627:
620:
613:
598:
597:
593:
583:
581:
580:. 16 April 2003
572:
571:
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550:
549:
545:
535:
533:
524:
523:
519:
509:
507:
498:
497:
493:
483:
481:
480:. Pan Macmillan
475:
474:
470:
462:
455:
451:
450:
446:
438:
431:
427:
426:
422:
412:
410:
409:. 22 March 2001
401:
400:
396:
386:
384:
374:
373:
369:
359:
357:
347:
346:
342:
332:
330:
321:
320:
316:
306:
304:
289:
288:
284:
279:
197:
164:
124:
122:Reverse dumping
70:
17:
12:
11:
5:
993:
991:
983:
982:
977:
972:
967:
962:
957:
952:
947:
942:
937:
935:Bioremediation
932:
922:
921:
916:
915:
889:
871:
849:
837:India Together
823:
805:
783:
761:
739:
714:
692:
670:
644:(1): 153–158.
618:
611:
591:
578:Times of India
565:
543:
517:
491:
468:
444:
420:
394:
367:
340:
314:
281:
280:
278:
275:
196:
193:
163:
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123:
120:
69:
66:
60:and corporate
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
992:
981:
978:
976:
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771:
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762:
749:
743:
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728:
724:
718:
715:
702:
696:
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688:
684:
683:Deccan Herald
680:
674:
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659:
655:
651:
647:
643:
639:
632:
625:
623:
619:
614:
612:9788131734629
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23:
19:
906:. Retrieved
902:
892:
884:the original
874:
866:the original
861:
852:
840:. Retrieved
836:
826:
818:the original
808:
796:. Retrieved
786:
774:. Retrieved
764:
752:. Retrieved
742:
730:. Retrieved
726:
717:
705:. Retrieved
695:
687:the original
682:
673:
661:. Retrieved
641:
637:
601:
594:
582:. Retrieved
577:
568:
560:the original
555:
546:
534:. Retrieved
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520:
508:. Retrieved
504:
494:
482:. Retrieved
471:
460:the original
447:
436:the original
423:
411:. Retrieved
406:
397:
385:. Retrieved
381:the original
370:
358:. Retrieved
354:the original
343:
331:. Retrieved
326:
317:
305:. Retrieved
301:the original
294:
285:
263:
237:
226:
206:
198:
189:
165:
148:Ameer Shahul
146:campaigners
139:Ameer Shahul
133:
125:
116:Ameer Shahul
95:
71:
50:thermometers
29:
28:
18:
950:Neurotoxins
258:prima facie
137:campaigner
78:thermometer
44:, India by
945:Kodaikanal
924:Categories
407:Toxic Link
360:6 February
277:References
273:, London.
172:Greenpeace
167:Greenpeace
144:Greenpeace
135:Greenpeace
129:Greenpeace
107:Greenpeace
74:Kodaikanal
62:negligence
42:Tamil Nadu
38:Kodaikanal
903:The Hindu
296:The Hindu
658:16412540
269:and the
235:(NIOH).
86:Unilever
484:9 March
908:6 June
842:6 June
798:6 June
776:6 June
754:6 June
732:6 June
707:6 June
663:6 June
656:
609:
584:6 June
536:6 June
510:6 June
413:6 June
387:6 June
333:6 June
307:6 June
98:kidney
634:(PDF)
463:(PDF)
456:(PDF)
439:(PDF)
432:(PDF)
103:shola
910:2019
844:2019
800:2019
778:2019
756:2019
734:2019
709:2019
665:2019
654:PMID
607:ISBN
586:2019
538:2019
512:2019
486:2023
415:2019
389:2019
362:2014
335:2019
309:2019
646:doi
642:143
154:of
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
