High mercury levels found even in UN global policy makers

In a scary revelation, an international study detected neuro-toxic metal mercury levels above health alert thresholds in over half of the policy decision-makers tested at a UN summit this year.

Researchers from IPEN, a network of non-governmental organisations, and the Biodiversity Research Institute in a joint report released last week at the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi concluded even global policy makers, who are educated on mercury risks, were not protected from its contamination.

The report tiled "Mercury Pollution, A Threat to All" analysed mercury levels in hair samples from 180 delegates, including 104 women, from 75 countries at the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury held in Geneva in September.

The Minamata Convention, which takes its name from the most severe mercury poisoning disaster in history that came to light in Minamata in Japan in 1956, addresses the entire life cycle of mercury, considered by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as one of the top 10 chemicals of major health concern.

The latest study findings revealed mercury in all participants and elevated mercury levels exceeding the US Environmental Protection Agency health advisory level of 1 ppm or parts per million, above which brain damage, IQ loss, kidney and cardiovascular damage may occur, in over half of the study participants.

Levels many times higher were identified in delegates from a number of regions.

Mercury, while harmful to adults, causes the greatest damage to developing nervous systems of fetuses in utero.

"With the many technologies we have available now, there is reason to control mercury emissions from key industries, including coal and non-ferrous metals. We have to look for alternatives and ban new mercury mining and close existing (mercury) mines," UN Environment head Erik Solheim told IANS.

UN Environment's report "Global Mercury Supply, Trade and Demand" confirms artisanal and small-scale gold mining as the world's largest source of mercury emissions, primarily in Africa, Asia and Latin America, followed by coal fire.

The major mercury uses continue to be in artisanal and small-scale gold mining and for the production of vinyl chloride monomer, with these two applications responsible for over 60 percent of global mercury demand.

Artisanal and small-scale gold produces 12 to 15 per cent of the world's gold and employs around 15 million people, often in remote rural areas, including four to five million women and children, who often have little or no awareness of the risks posed by mercury, and safer alternatives to its use.

According to researcher Lee Bell, lead author of the IPEN study, high levels of mercury were recorded in delegates from Asia Pacific, but high levels were recorded in delegates from JUSCANZ and Western Europe as well.

JUSCANZ stands for Japan, the US, Iceland, Israel, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

"Delegates, as a group, are well informed about mercury toxicity and exposure, but this knowledge has not afforded them protection from mercury pollution. These results should provide an unequivocal reminder to global decision-makers that mercury pollution is an immediate threat to everyone," Bell said in a statement.

"Phasing out coal-fired power plants, banning the trade in mercury that supplies small-scale gold mining and cleaning up contaminated sites are actions that are needed immediately."

IPEN, a network of non-governmental organisations working in more than 100 countries to reduce and eliminate the toxic chemicals and metals, says the sampling process at the Minamata Convention on Mercury was anonymous.

But many delegates reported they were surprised to learn that their levels exceeded the health advisory threshold of 1 ppm (Hg) and could cause neurological health issues.

(Vishal Gulati was in Nairobi at the invitation of UN Environment to cover its third annual session. He can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)

--IANS

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