The study comes ahead of the International Whaling Commission (IWC)
annual meeting in Santiago, Chile. EIA is urging Japan to end coastal
whaling.
The report, "Poisonous Policies", found 52% of cetacean meat sampled
exceeded the safe limits set by the Japanese government for mercury,
methylmercury or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Human health
effects of these chemicals can include damage to the kidney, liver and
brain, infertility and even death.
Fears about mercury poisoning have led politicians in southern Japan
to call for a ban on putting dolphin and pilot whale meat in school
lunches.
"These products put people, in particular unborn children, at real
risk and should not be on the supermarket shelves," said Clare Perry
of EIA.
Download the full report