The Minamata Convention on Mercury is an international treaty designed to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury. The Convention provides a global framework for addressing the use, emissions, and releases of mercury and mercury compounds. The following report outlines the main requirements of the Convention based on the provided annexes.
The convention was adopted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Kumamoto, Japan, in October 2013 and entered into force on August 16, 2017. As of today, it has been ratified by 141 countries.
Restrictions under Minamata Convention on Mercury
1. Mercury-added products (Annex A)
The Convention requires the phase-out of certain mercury-added products by specified dates. Some products are exempt, such as those used for civil protection, military, research, calibration, traditional or religious practices, and vaccines containing thiomersal as preservatives. The phase-out dates for various products include:
- Batteries (except specific button batteries) - 2020
- Switches and relays (with some exceptions) - 2020
- Compact and linear fluorescent lamps (with specific mercury content limits) - 2020
- High pressure mercury vapor lamps - 2020
- Cold cathode fluorescent lamps and external electrode fluorescent lamps for electronic displays (with specific mercury content limits) - 2020
- Cosmetics with mercury content above 1ppm (excluding certain eye-area cosmetics) - 2020
- Pesticides, biocides, and topical antiseptics - 2020
- Certain non-electronic measuring devices – 2020
2. Dental amalgam (Annex A, Part II)
The Convention mandates the phase-down of dental amalgam use through various measures, such as promoting mercury-free alternatives, research and development, education and training, discouraging insurance policies that favor dental amalgam, and promoting best environmental practices in dental facilities.
3. Manufacturing processes using mercury or mercury compounds (Annex B)
The Convention requires the phase-out of certain manufacturing processes using mercury or mercury compounds by specified dates:
- Chlor-alkali production - 2025
- Acetaldehyde production using mercury as a catalyst - 2018
For other processes, the Convention specifies provisions to reduce or phase-out mercury use, emissions, and releases. These processes include vinyl chloride monomer production, sodium or potassium methylate or ethylate production, and polyurethane production using mercury-containing catalysts.
4. Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (Annex C)
Parties subject to Article 7, paragraph 3, must develop national action plans to address mercury use in artisanal and small-scale gold mining. These plans must include national objectives, reduction targets, actions to eliminate specific harmful practices, measures to facilitate sector formalization, baseline estimates of mercury use, strategies for reducing emissions and exposure, and public health strategies, among other requirements.
5. Point sources of emissions to the atmosphere (Annex D)
The Convention lists several point source categories of mercury emissions to the atmosphere, which require control and reduction measures:
- Coal-fired power plants
- Coal-fired industrial boilers
- Smelting and roasting processes used in non-ferrous metal production
- Waste incineration facilities
- Cement clinker production facilities
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