The Minamata Convention on Mercury is an international treaty aimed at protecting human health and the environment from adverse effects of mercury. The Convention provides a global framework to address the use, emissions and release of mercury and mercury compounds. The following report outlines the key requirements of the Convention based on the annexes provided.
The Convention was adopted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in October 2013 in Kumamoto, Japan and entered into force on August 16, 2017. So far, the Convention has been ratified by 141 countries.
Restrictions on the Minamata Convention on Mercury
1. Products with mercury added (Appendix A)
The Convention requires the phase-out of certain products with mercury added before a designated date. Some products are exempt from such products used in civil defense, military, research, calibration, traditional or religious activities, as well as vaccines containing thimerosal as a preservative. Phasing dates for various products include:
- Battery (except for specific button batteries) - 2020
- Switches and Relays (with a few exceptions) - 2020
- Compact and linear fluorescent lamps (with specific mercury content limits) - 2020
- High Pressure Mercury Vapor Lamp - 2020
- Cold cathode fluorescent lamps and external electrode fluorescent lamps for electronic displays (with specific mercury content limits) - 2020
- Cosmetics with mercury content exceeding 1ppm (excluding cosmetics in the eye area) - 2020
- Insecticides, fungicides and topical preservatives - 2020
- Certain non-electronic measurement devices – 2020
2. Dental amalgam (Appendix A, Part 2)
The Convention calls for the gradual reduction of the use of dental amalgam through various measures, such as promoting mercury-free alternatives, research and development, education and training, blocking insurance policies that benefit dental amalgam and promoting best environmental practices in dental facilities.
3. Manufacturing process using mercury or mercury compounds (Appendix B)
The Convention requires the phase-out of certain manufacturing processes using mercury or mercury compounds before a designated date:
- Chlorine-alkali yield - 2025
- Using mercury as a catalyst for production of acetaldehyde - 2018
For other processes, the Convention provides for the reduction or phase-out of the use, emissions and release of mercury. These processes include the production of vinyl chloride monomers, sodium or potassium or ethanol salts, and the production of polyurethanes using mercury-containing catalysts.
4. Manual and small-scale gold mining (Appendix C)
Parties subject to Article 7, paragraph 3 must develop national action plans to address the use of mercury in the artisan and small-scale gold mining industry. These plans must include national goals, emission reduction targets, actions to eliminate specific harmful practices, measures to promote sectoral formalization, baseline estimates of mercury use, strategies to reduce emissions and exposures, and public health strategies.
5. Point source for emission to the atmosphere (Appendix D)
The Convention lists several point source categories of mercury emissions to the atmosphere, requiring control and reduction measures:
- Coal-fired power plant
- Coal-fired industrial boiler
- Smelting and roasting process in non-ferrous metal production
- Waste incineration facilities
- Cement clinker production facilities
Ahmed Sakr
Product Compliance Consultant
ComplyMarket UG (haftungsbeschraenkt)
