As living standards rose and people all over the world embraced the consumer society, a heavy price was paid. The cost of non-stop growth was polluted rivers, dirty air, dying forests, disappearing wildlife and mystery illnesses.
Victims of the Minamata Bay poisoning in Japan, and a series of major oil spillages and industrial accidents that shocked the world, describe how they were directly affected. Their plight led to a growing realisation that something had to be done before it was too late. People demanded new controls and limits to stop the world being polluted and environmental concerns entered the world of politics.

(Shown yesterday at 4.45 pm on BBC1)
(Stereo) (Subtitled)