Mercury Policy Project

Today, world governments took the first significant steps towards a Legally Binding Treaty to control mercury pollution at a United Nations Environmental Program meeting in Bangkok, Thailand. Their recommendations (summarized in ZMWG Quick Views) now provide countries with a basis to head into the International Negotiating Committee (INC) meetings starting in Stockholm, June 2010. “We look forward to engaging in focused discussions in areas such as supply, trade and storage of surplus mercury where substantial progress can be made,” said Michael Bender, Director of MPP.  For more information, see ZMWG’s press release and briefing notes by IISD.

October 19-23, 2009, Bangkok, Thailand

In preparation of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee’s (INC’s) discussion of a global mercury treaty in 2010, the OEWG is holding information sessions on mercury supply, storage, artisanal and small-scale gold mining, products, and wastes. The OEWG will establish timetables and organization of the INC as well as discuss priorities.  MPP’s director, on behalf of Zero Mercury Working Group, presented Mercury Storage-Supply Partnership and Related Initiatives at the OEWG.

October 13-14, 2009, Oxford, UK

The Oxford Workshop was funded by the UK government to consider the scientific and engineering issues associates with safe disposal and storage of redundant mercury.   It was organized in preparation for the EU’s ban on exports to take effect in March 2011.  MPP’s director, as the interim chair of the UNEP Mercury Storage-supply Partnership,  presented, “Mercury Storage-Supply Partnership and Related Initiatives” at this workshop.  IKIMP has made the complete presentations available online.

At the request of New York State’s Assembly Committee on Environmental Conservation, MPP provides expert testimony regarding methods to reduce mercury exposure. MPP stressed the state government’s responsibility to reduce and eliminate mercury uses and releases, and also to take steps to protect its population from mercury exposure risks.  Recommendations included to (1) expand risk communication for consumption of high-mercury fish, (2) strengthen mercury phase-out legislation, (3) pass new legislation requiring incentivized collections for mercury thermostats, and (4) establish maximum mercury-content standards for light bulbs.

The U.S. EPA and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry have launched a new campaign to warn children about the dangers of playing with elemental mercury.  To reach its intended audience, the video “Don’t Mess with Mercury” is being announced on Twitter and posted to You Tube.  Spilt elemental mercury can break into microscopic beads that are invisible to the eye but continue to release odorless toxic vapors.  Attempts to vacuum or sweep a mercury spill can create approximately 10 times more hazardous mercury vapors than cleaning it properly.

A joint scientific effort by the National Environmental Research Institute in Denmark, the Geological Survey of Canada, and Environment Canada, answers the question of how much mercury concentrations in the Arctic is natural and how much is man-made.  Through the tests of Arctic marine wildlife teeth, hair and feathers, and comparisons with historical samples, they found that mercury levels rose in the mid-19th century and accelerated in the 20th century. The sharp increase corresponds to the industrial revolution.  Although there is no major mercury source in the region, mercury pollution is brought to the area through the atmosphere, ocean currents, and rivers. The study found that the average man-made contribution to  current mercury concentrations is 92.4%.  The significant increase in mercury concentrations in marine foodwebs in the Arctic have reached dangerous levels where negative biological consequences are expected.  People living in these areas and eating at the top of this food chain may see neurological development disorders in their children.

Multiple studies released in August 2009 provide evidence of rising mercury contamination of the environment, fish and people.  The evidence that mercury levels have risen in people in the past several years is presented in a report released by UCLA, Assessment of chronic mercury exposure within the U.S. population, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999–2006.  While inorganic mercury was found in the blood of 2% of women in 1999, it was found in 30% of the women by 2006.  Another U.S. study, Mercury in Fish, Bed Sediment, and Water from Streams Across the United States, 1998–2005, found mercury in all the sampled fish, with 27% exceeding levels safe for human consumption.  A third study indicates that mercury levels in fish were elevated in pristine forested or woody-wetlands in the eastern and southeastern U.S.  Duke University environmental engineers explain this phenomenon in a study of their own: How Mercury Becomes Toxic in the Environment.

October 18-24, 2009, Bangkok, Thailand

The OEWG will be considering the politics around the sources of elementary mercury, the technical issues of storage, and the commonality with other hazardous waste issues.  Michael Bender, director of MPP, will be speaking on behalf of ZMWG about “Mercury Storage-Supply Partnership and Related Initiatives.”

Just as the Cash for Clunkers program is dumping hundreds of thousands of vehicles on auto recyclers, the “new” GM announced they are not obligated to honor industry-wide recycling measures to capture mercury from old auto switches. Environmental groups demand that GM fulfill its responsibility. “GM should not be hiding behind a bankruptcy proceeding as an excuse for not meeting its on-going obligation to fund a vital program for keeping mercury out of the environment,” said Charles Griffith, Director of the Ecology Center’s Clean Car Campaign.

As GM was the largest user of mercury auto switches, state-mandated recycling programs are unable to absorb the cost of recycling GM parts.  Compounding the problem, automotive recyclers will no longer receive a bounty from GM to remove the mercury switches from GM cars, increasing the likelihood that the mercury will be dumped into the environment. The Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA) also expressed their concern that GM is opting out of their commitment. For more information, see MPP and Ecology Center’s press release and The End of Life Vehicle Solutions Corporation (ELVS) response to GM’s announcement.

October 26-27, 2009, New Delhi, India

The International Conference on Heavy Metals seeks collaboration on policies and management strategies for the serious environmental problems of heavy metals and e-waste.  Elena Lymberidi of the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) will be speaking on “Mercury: Global achievements and Challenges.”