Global Processes for Reducing Mercury

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Global Processes for Reducing Mercury

• Ravi Agarwal
• Director
• Toxics Link
• (www.toxicslink.org)
• Zero Mercury Working Group
• Beijing, Oct 2007

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Toxics Link Zero Mercury Working Group

• Toxics Link is an environmental research and
  information organization based in India, and with
  its main office in New Delhi, working since 1994
• The Zero Mercury Working Group was formed in 2005
  to achieve Zero emissions, demand and supply of
  mercury, with the aim of reducing mercury in the
  environment nationally and globally

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Summary of Presentation

• Mercury is a Global Pollutant Warranting
  International Action
• Exposure Risks to Mercury
• Mercury Use, Release, Reduction
• Mercury Export Bans
• Elements of a Global NGO Strategy
• International Activities

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Mercury Pollution Global Problem Warranting
International Solutions

• 3-5 fold Hg increase global mercury cycling
  threatens people, fish supply
• Predatory fish (i.e. shark,swordfish,tuna)
  highest mercury levels, greatest risk
• Primary exposure risk for pregnant women,
  children populations dependent on fish
  mammals
• 20 Million small-scale gold miners may experience
  acute health impacts

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Global Mercury Cycle
Re-emitted anthropogenic and natural
Global Marine Deposition
Re-emitted anthropogenic and natural
Local and Regional Deposition
Global Terrestrial Deposition
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Concerns about Mercury Exposure Risks Continue
to Grow

• World Health Organization considering cutting
  exposure standard in half
• mercury may have no threshold below which
  some adverse health effects do not occur.
  (W.H.O. 2005)
• US EPA scientists estimate that 1 in 6 American
  women have a mercury body burden that could place
  babies at risk
• EU estimates 44 French children (ages 3-6) have
  mercury levels that exceed U.S. health standard,
  the reference dose

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Exposure Concern for Sensitive Populations

• Pregnant women and developing fetus, children
  most at risk
• Incomplete and rapidly growing nervous systems
  are especially vulnerable to mercury
• Blood brain barrier, which restricts the
  penetration of toxicants, is not fully developed
  in humans until about one year of age
• Exposure can permanently damage brain, kidneys
  impair development

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Country Fish Consumption Advisories

• EU warns women child bearing age, children to
  limit certain fish,(i.e. tuna swordfish).
• US warns pregnant women to not eat king mackerel,
  shark, swordfish, or tilefish, limit consumption
  of canned tuna 6 ounces/week
• All Canadians warned to limit consumption of
  swordfish, shark and fresh tuna to one meal per
  week. Pregnant women, children should only
  consume these fish once a month.
• Australia warns pregnant women, kids to only eat
  shark, swordfish, marlin, orange roughly, and
  catfish once per week
• Japan advises pregnant women to limit their
  consumption of swordfish and alfonsin

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Trends in Global Mercury (Hg) Use

• Reductions in Hg use in industrial countries has
  led to surplus supplies
• Excess Hg readily available to developing
  countries w/latest gold rush driving demand
• Approximately 80 of all Hg used today is in
  developing countries
• Continuing demand due in part to lack of
  awareness and incentives to choose Hg-free
  products and technologies

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Artisanal Small Scale Gold Miners

• ASM Miners use Hg to amalgamate gold
• Hg use1000 tons/year
• 50 Hg from Europe North America
• 15-20 million miners in 50 countries, with 100
  million dependents at risk too
• Results in much pollution acute exposure
• About half of miners intoxicated w/mercury,
  according to UNIDO GMP

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Elements of a Global NGO Mercury Reduction
Strategy

• Close primary mercury mines, reduce all sources
• Reduce demand, phase out mercury uses when
  alternatives available, cost effective and
  affordable
• Ban mercury exports

• Reduce Hg use gold mining
• Close Hg-cell chlor-alkali plants, retire surplus
  Hg
• Reduce Hg air emissions from major sources
• International binding treaty

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Commodity mercury trade 2004 based on Comtrade
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Proposed Mercury Export Bans
EU exports about 1,000 tons mercury/year Nearly
1/3rd of global supply Disproportionately sent to
developing countries European Commission proposed
regulation for an EU Hg export ban by 2011

• US Government mercury stockpiles retired
• Proposed US legislation would ban mercury exports
• Hg storage facilities needed worldwide, not just
  in EU, US

Almaden Miner Floating on Mercury
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Background on UNEP GC Activities

• UNEP Global Mercury Assessment report completed,
  December 2002
• The 22nd UNEP Governing Council, February 2003
• ..Sufficient evidence of significant global
  adverse impacts from mercury to warrant further
  international action...
• GC established UNEP Mercury Programme in 2003 to
  include awareness-raising workshops, guidance
  materials and toolkits, and clearinghouse for
  mercury-related information.

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2005 UNEP GC Decision

• Art.21 Urge all countries to adopt goals to take
  national actions.....
• Art 22 Prepare a report summarizing supply, trade
  and demand information, including in artisanal
  and small-scale gold mining
• Art 24 Encourages governments to promote risk
  communication methods.....to enable citizen to
  make health protective dietary choices....
• Art 25 Requests governments to take immediate
  actions to reduce Hg risks by info sharing on
  best available technique (BAT), introducing bans
  ,or restrictions in uses, curbing primary
  production introduction into commerce of excess
  mercury supply.
• Art.26 Industrialized countries provide
  developing countries with financial resources to
  reduce Hg
• Art. 27-33 Promote partnership projects to
  reduce Hg releases
• Art. 34 Further long-term international action is
  required
• Art. 37 Assess the need for further action on
  mercury, including the possibility of a legally
  binding instrument and other actions

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2007 UNEP Governing Council Decision

• Worlds governments now poised to evaluate both
  voluntary and binding treaty initiatives
• Ad-hoc Working Group meeting for this Nov. in
  Bangkok will review options
• UNEP partnership meeting in Geneva in Jan. 2008
• Special GC session in Monaco in Feb. 2008
• New UNEP report on Hg air emissions due for
  consideration by Governing Council in 2009
• Findings will lay the groundwork for the
  Governing Council Decision in Feb. 2009

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Summary

• Mercury is a global pollutant resulting in
  significant adverse impacts to people and env.
• Coordinated strategy needed to simultaneously
  reduce Hg demand, supply, export, release
  exposure
• Upcoming UNEP meetings provide opportunities to
  promote international binding treaty
• Alternatives to mercury, but no alternative to
  international cooperation and commitments

Mercury Fountain in Barcelona
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• Acknowledgements
• Michael Bender, Mercury Policy Project, USA