List of man-made mass poisoning incidents

List of incidents involving mass poisoning caused by human actions

The List of man-made mass poisoning incidents includes notable cases where large groups of people were poisoned due to human actions. These incidents can result from intentional acts, such as bioterrorism, or unintentional acts, such as industrial accidents or food contamination.

Notable Incidents

Minamata Disease

Minamata disease is a neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning. It was first discovered in Minamata, Japan, in 1956. The disease was caused by the release of methylmercury in the industrial wastewater from the Chisso Corporation's chemical factory, which contaminated the local water supply and affected thousands of residents.

Bhopal Disaster

The Bhopal disaster occurred in December 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. A gas leak of methyl isocyanate resulted in the exposure of over 500,000 people. The incident is considered one of the world's worst industrial disasters.

Love Canal

Love Canal is a neighborhood in Niagara Falls, New York, where toxic waste buried by the Hooker Chemical Company caused widespread health issues and environmental damage. The incident led to the evacuation of hundreds of families and the establishment of the Superfund program.

Flint Water Crisis

The Flint water crisis began in 2014 when the drinking water source for the city of Flint, Michigan was changed to the Flint River. Due to insufficient water treatment, lead leached from pipes into the water supply, causing widespread lead poisoning and health issues among residents.

Rajneeshee Bioterror Attack

In 1984, followers of the Rajneesh movement intentionally contaminated salad bars in The Dalles, Oregon, with Salmonella bacteria. This act of bioterrorism resulted in 751 cases of salmonellosis and is considered the first and largest bioterror attack in the United States.

Melamine Contamination in China

In 2008, it was discovered that melamine had been added to infant formula and other milk products in China to falsely increase protein content. The contamination led to the deaths of at least six infants and caused kidney damage in thousands of children.

Related Pages

• Bioterrorism
• Industrial accident
• Food contamination
• Environmental disaster
• Public health

See Also

• List of industrial disasters
• List of environmental disasters
• List of foodborne illness outbreaks