Public health impacts of exposure to mercury and mercury. The minamata convention on mercury convention is a major international development in controlling the harmful effects of mercury pollution. Ratification and implementation manual page 34 minamata convention on mercury. World health assembly welcomed the adoption of the minamata convention on mercury, which.
These forms and guidance, as adopted, are presented below. The need for such a standard has been met with the implementation of the minamata convention on mercury. Mercury is a heavy metal that is released from natural processes or human activities. The minamata convention on mercury is an opportunity for the global community to address this mounting problem before it gets worse. The government of canada is working toward ratification of the minamata convention on mercury, a new global, legally binding treaty under the auspices of the united nations environment programme unep. Study on eu implementation of the minamata convention on. New york, new york, august 16, 2017 ens the worlds first treaty to protect the environment and human health in nearly a decade, the minamata convention on mercury, enters into force today. Convention by unep or the interim secretariat and does not substitute the original authentic. An ngo introduction to mercury pollution and the minamata convention on mercury 5 1. Manufacturing processes phased out under the convention.
Human activity, especially mining and the burning of coal, has increased the amounts of mercury in the atmosphere, soils, fresh waters, and oceans. Until 2020, the convention will encourage signatory countries to gradually reduce their use of mercury. Overview of the minamata convention on mercury 062015. New york,24 september 2014 twentytwo countries have taken major steps to address the emissions and releases of the one of the most notorious heavy metals mercury. In contrast to the limited publication policy when the full text of an agreement may not be reproduced in the unts in its entirety, the objective of applying the partial publication method to a particular situation is to speed up the publishing effort by e. The minamata convention on mercury is a multilateral environmental agreement that addresses the adverse effects of mercury through practical actions to protect human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds. A global commitment to reduce health risks and environmental damage from mercury pollution came into effect last month 16 august, when the socalled minamata convention on mercury entered into force. This convention aims to protect the human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissionsreleases of mercury and mercury compounds and stipulates appropriate. Minamata convention on mercury ministry for the environment. Dental restorative materials and the minamata convention on mercury. Minamata convention nippon instruments corporation. The convention draws attention to a global and ubiquitous metal. Instead, mercury released into the environment accumulates in fish and animal tissues, a process known as bioaccumulation.
Minamata convention on mercury department of agriculture. Study on eu implementation of the minamata convention on mercury u. Mercury is a powerful neurotoxin that affects human health and the environment. The minamata convention on mercury is named after minamata, a city in japan where serious health damage occurred as a result of mercury pollution in the mid20th century. The united nations minamata convention on mercury, which went into effect on august 16, 2017, could benefit millions of people affected by toxic mercury, human rights watch said today.
The wastewater contained methylmercury, which bioaccumulated in fish and shellfish in the bay. Minamata convention on mercury convention for those officials who may need information about the convention and its obligations, and about national activities which may be undertaken in preparation for convention ratification and implementation. The minamata conventions provisions for dental amalgama mercury added product containing. The 74 countries which have become parties to the convention so far out of 128 that have signed. Through the minamata convention on mercury, the global community remembers the many lives already lost to mercury poisoning and recognizes the. This manual is not meant to be a replacement for the original text of the convention.
Over the next decades, implementation of this international agreement will help reduce mercury pollution from the specific human activities responsible for the most significant mercury releases to the environment. It was agreed at the fifth session of the intergovernmental negotiating committee on mercury in geneva, switzerland at 7 a. Report of the foreign affairs, defence and trade committee new zealand parliament website new zealand is currently developing the domestic measures required to ratify the convention. Minamata convention on mercury enters into force ens. From 2020, the convention will ban the production, import and export of products that contain mercury, including blood pressure monitors, clinical thermometers, highpressure mercury lamps, and topical antiseptic agents. Minamata convention on mercury international cooperation. Deposit your instrument by 27 august 2019 to be a party at cop3. Minamata convention on mercury was adopted at the conference of plenipotentiaries held in kumamoto city and minamata city in october, 20.
A year after the adoption of the minamata convention on mercury, ministers and senior government officials from around the world have renewed the international communitys commitment to. The minamata convention is named after the japanese city of minamata, which experienced a severe, decadeslong incidence of mercury poisoning after industrial wastewater from a chemical factory was discharged into minamata bay. Diplomatic conference held in kumamoto city and minamata city. The minamata convention on mercury is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury and its compounds. India signed the minamata convention on 30 september 2014. Minamata convention on mercury support measures portal. The minamata convention on mercury and the role for the environmental sciences community. Agreed on 19 january 20, it was signed in october 20 by the eu and 91 countries, including new zealand, in minamata, japan. In 2001 the united nations environment programme undertook a global assessment of mercury levels and their impacts.
The dangers associated with mercury illustrate the necessity of international standard for dealing with its proliferation. The minamata convention on mercury in 2009, the united nations environment programme unep began a negotiating process that resulted in the minamata convention on mercury. Minamata convention on mercury the parties to this convention, recognizing that mercury is a chemical of global concern owing to its longrange atmospheric transport, its persistence in the environment once anthropogenically introduced, its ability to. The convention is named for a fishing village, in my home country of japan, which suffered tragically due to mercury contamination. At its 44th meeting in june 20, the gef council considered document gefc. The minamata convention on mercury is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury. To ensure its accuracy and maximize its utility, a panel of experts identified in the. In the minamata convention on mercury, parties commit to take full account of the specific needs and special circumstances of parties that are ldcs as well as sids and others in regard to. Minamata is known worldwide due to minamata disease, a neurological disorder caused by mercury poisoning. Minamata, a film featuring the minamata disease, a debilitating illness caused by mercury poisoning, premieres at the berlin international film festival. The diagnosis and suffering continues to be repeated around the world.
The objective of the convention is to protect human health and the environment from emissions and releases of mercury from human activity. Foreword this booklet provides information about the toxic environmental pollutant mercury and its harm to human health and the environment and the recently adopted minamata convention on mercury also referred to as the mercury treaty or the treaty. Plenipotentiaries on the minamata convention on mercury held from 7 to 11 october 20. The convention imposes implementation of measures to reduce atmospheric emissions according to batbet, etc. The minamata convention on mercury and the role for the. The minamata convention on mercury was opened for signature on 10 october 20 enetred into force on 16 august 2017 as of 24 august 2017, 128 countries have signed the convention and 74 have ratified it. Minamata convention on mercury executive summary 1. Minamata convention on mercury ias abhiyan ii ias upsc. The convention was four years in the making, with more than nations. The minamata convention on mercury is an international. The minamata convention is named after the beautiful minamata city in japan, where local communities were poisoned by mercurytainted industrial wastewater in the late 1950s. The minamata convention represents a major step forward to help the united states and other countries to reduce peoples exposure to mercury, a toxic chemical with significant negative health.
The minamata convention a response to global concern. Only relatively recently has serious global attention been paid to the many dangerous effects exposure to mercury can have on human and environmental health. This convention was a result of three years of meeting and negotiating, after which the text of the convention was approved by delegates representing close to 140 countries on. The tragic minamata bay disaster in japan is a stark reminder that exposure to the element mercury and its compounds can impact human health, causing irreversible neurological damage and other issues such as psychosis. This minamata convention on mercury ratification and implementation manual manual was coauthored by david lennett, senior attorney of the natural resources defense council nrdc and richard gutierrez, jd, ll. The parties to this convention, recognizing that mercury is a chemical of global concern owing. The purpose of this document is to provide information to assist parties in reporting under article 21 of the minamata convention. The minamata convention on mercury is an international treaty designed to protect human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds. At its first meeting, the conference of the parties to the minamata convention on mercury adopted forms and guidance to assist parties with its effective implementation. The new minamata convention on mercury is an opportunity for the global community to address this mounting problem before it gets worse. Any necessary exemptions to postpone phaseout dates in the convention will be recorded in new zealands ratification documents. The convention was opened for signature by states and regional economic integration organizations at kumamoto, japan, on 10 and 11 october 20, and, thereafter, at the united nations headquarters in new york until 9 october 2014.
Study on eu implementation of the minamata convention interim report c. Groundbreaking mercury treaty takes effect human rights. A naturallyoccurring element, mercury does not breakdown into less harmful substances over time. Guidelines on the environmentally sound interim storage of mercury other than waste mercury. It was agreed at the fifth session of the intergovernmental negotiating committee in geneva, switzerland at 7 a. Unlimited viewing of the articlechapter pdf and any associated supplements and. Named the minamata convention on mercury, the agreement is a response to the realization that mercury pollution is a global problem that no one country can solve alone.
In the coming years, the gef will utilize its convening power to promote innovation in the design and scaling up of mercury programs to prevent such a tragedy from ever happening. During this period, it was signed by 127 states and one regional economic integration organization, bringing to 128 the total number of signatories. Outlook\fim2wm85\draftfinalreporteuhgmc30june14rev3bmaster. Minamata convention on mercury to enter into force unido. Minamata convention on mercury pdf, 191 kb international treaty examination of the minamata convention on mercury. Pardee faculty fellow henrik selin international relations, bu gives an account and history of the minamata convention on mercury a global legally binding treaty on mercury use. Director of communications, artisanal gold council agc first a little history. Past, present, and future environmental health by maggie coulter i introduction n october 20, nearly six decades after health officials first noted victims suffering from. The third meeting of the conference of the parties to the minamata convention on mercury cop3 will take place from 25 to 29 november 2019 at the international conference centre in geneva, switzerland.
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