The Minamata Convention on Mercury is an international treaty aimed at protecting human health and the environment from the harmful effects of mercury. The agreement provides a global framework to combat the use, emissions and releases of mercury and compounds of Mercury. The following report presents the main requirements of the agreement on the basis of the annexes provided.
The Convention was adopted by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in Kumamoto, Japan, in October 2013 and entered into force on August 16, 2017. To date, it has been ratified by 141 countries.
Restrictions under the Minamata Convention on Mercury
1. Products containing mercury added (Annex A)
The convention requires the progressive elimination of certain products containing mercury added to specific dates. Some products are exempt, such as those used for civil protection, army, research, calibration, traditional or religious practices and vaccines containing Thimersal as a preservative.The dates of progressive elimination of various products include:
- Batteries (except specific buttons) - 2020
- Switches and relays (with a few exceptions) - 2020
- Compact and linear fluorescent lamps (with specific mercury content limits) - 2020
- High pressure mercury steam lamps - 2020
- Fluorescent lamps with cold cathode and fluorescent lamps with external electrode for electronic screens (with specific mercury content limits) - 2020
- Cosmetics whose mercury content is greater than 1 ppm (excluding certain cosmetics for eye contour) - 2020
- Pesticides, biocides and topical antiseptics - 2020
- Some non -electronic measurement devices - 2020
2. Dental amalgam (Appendix A, Part II)
The agreement requires the gradual reduction in the use of dental amalgams by means of various measures, such as promoting mercury -free alternatives, research and development, education and training, discouragement of insurance policies that promote dental amalgams and promoting environmental best in dental establishments.
3. Manufacturing processes using mercury or mercury compounds (Annex B)
The convention requires the progressive elimination of certain manufacturing processes using mercury or mercury compounds on specific dates:
- Production of chlorine -alcali - 2025
- Production of acetaldehyde using mercury as a catalyst - 2018
For other processes, the precise convention of the provisions aimed at gradually reducing or eliminating use, emissions and mercury releases. These processes include the production of vinyl chloride monomers, the production of methylate or sodium or potassium ethylate and the production of polyurethane using catalysts containing mercury.
4. Handcrafted extraction and on a small scale of gold (Annex C)
The parties subject to article 7, paragraph 3, must develop national action plans to combat the use of mercury in the artisanal mining and on a small scale of gold. These plans must include national objectives, reduction targets, actions aimed at eliminating specific harmful practices, measures to facilitate the formalization of the sector, reference estimates for the use of mercury, emission reduction and exposure strategies and public health strategies, among other requirements.
5. Simer sources of emissions in the atmosphere (Annex D)
The agreement lists several categories of punctual sources of mercury emissions in the atmosphere, which require control and reduction measures:
- Coal power plants
- Industrial coal boilers
- Merge and wire mesh processes used in the production of non -ferrous metals
- Waste incineration facilities
- Cement clinker production facilities
Ahmed Sakr
Product Compliance Consultant
Complymarket UG (Beschraenkt)
