The international mercury agreement has been signed by 128 states. It sets the goal of stopping the production of items containing mercury by 2020.
After eight years of negotiations, the international mercury agreement entered into force on Wednesday. The text developed by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) aims to further protect the environment and human health from this heavy metal. The 128 signatory states will have to undertake to enforce its provisions within their territory.
The Minamata Convention on Mercury is named after this Japanese city exposed for decades to industrial pollutants. Thousands of people have been poisoned by mercury releases from a factory and have developed central nervous system disorders, later dubbed “Minamata disease”.
Disappearance of mines
The Convention identifies mercury as a “chemical of global concern”. It aims to reduce the emissions and diffusion of mercury into the air, water and land, as well as to establish protocols for the storage of toxic waste and the decontamination of polluted sites.
It also limits mercury exports and sets itself the objective of banning the manufacture, import or export of products containing mercury by 2020. A flagship measure of this agreement concerns the gradual disappearance of mines. mercury within 15 years of its ratification.
A non-binding agreement
Mercury is used in the manufacture of many objects, including PVC. It is found in batteries, batteries, light bulbs, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. It is also used in gold mining to extract metal from ore. Millions of workers – especially children – are thus directly exposed to the neurotoxicity of mercury at gold mining sites.
The first conference bringing together the signatory countries will be held in Geneva from September 24 to 29. It will now be a question of taking the second step: the concrete application of the new rules. However, as often, the text is not binding; it will therefore be necessary to count on the goodwill of States.
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