Photography: ctndm.es“ Miguel de Castro is Director and Professor of the Master in Integrated Management Systems – HSEQ and Coordinator and Professor of the Master in Sustainable Environmental Management at Bureau Veritas University Center.”
Mercury [1] is a chemical element of global concern due to its ability to travel long distances through the atmosphere, its persistence in the environment, its ability to accumulate in ecosystems, particularly fish, and its significant negative effects on human health and the environment.
The main problem arises when the metal mercury is transformed into methylmercury , a powerful neurotoxin. This neurotoxin accumulates in fish and animals, normally without any harmful effect, and in humans, causing various disorders. Exposure, even in small quantities, causes serious damage to the nervous, digestive and immune systems, as well as to the lungs, kidneys, skin and eyes.
Given this perspective, there have been proposals for years linkedin data to reduce anthropogenic emissions of mercury. And finally, last January, more than 140 countries met in Geneva and approved new international regulations to regulate mercury pollution. This new treaty is called the Minamata Convention , in honor of the victims of the most serious mercury pollution that occurred in 1950 in Japan. The treaty will be signed at a diplomatic conference to be held from October 7 to 11, 2013 in Minamata.
Among the provisions included in the text are: prohibiting primary mercury mining , reducing trade , and eliminating this toxic substance in most products that contain it , such as thermometers, measuring devices, and batteries.
Starting with primary mining, the largest reserves of mercury worldwide are in Almadén [2] (Ciudad Real, Spain). This mine has been exploited since Roman times; mining in Almadén ceased in 2001; metallurgical activity ceased in 2003; and finally, as established in Regulation (EC) No 1102/2008 [3] , on the prohibition of export and safe storage of metallic mercury, its commercial activity ceased before March 15, 2011.
With the closure of Almaden, the last active mine considered of importance is the Khaidarkan mine in Kyrgyzstan (Kyrgyz Republic). Various efforts have been made to convince the Kyrgyz government to cease the activity , but for the moment this does not seem possible, due to the socio-economic conditions of this country. The current international proposal is to subsidise improvements for mining with better environmental performance.
As for reducing trade, the provisions of the agreement signed in Geneva will ban the production, export and import of certain products containing mercury by 2020.
The ban will apply to various types of batteries, certain types of fluorescent lamps, as well as soaps and cosmetics, and some non-electronic medical instruments such as thermometers and blood pressure monitors.
The treaty excludes from the ban other items, such as vaccines where metal is used for preservation and others used in religious or traditional activities.