High Mercury Levels Are Found in Tuna Sushi

Never mind recent scares about protein enhancers in dog food imported from China. By far, most foods for dogs and people are safe. In contrast, recent test found levels of mercury in bluefin tuna exceeding one part per million, a level set by the Food & Drug Administration for potential bans. The warning issued in 2004 for women and children to limit their intake of canned tuna had not included fresh tuna. It caused a great stir and debate over the merits of eating more omega-3 fatty acids versus eating less mercury. Now fresh bluefin now appears to have much more mercury.

In addition, another recent survey found "especially high levels among Asian New Yorkers, especially foreign-born Chinese, and people with high incomes. The report noted that Asians tend to eat more seafood…" The article omitted Japanese, Norwegians, and other populations which eat even more fish. Nor did it link mercury pollution in the sea to burning of coal, now the primary source, and that the United States emits about a quarter of the world by-product. Add to that our coal-burning contribution to climate change and potentially devastating effects of drought and flood on world food production, the rest of the world has right cause to criticize us.

So when do we start burning less coal?