From this Monday, 153 countries are meeting in Geneva to discuss new restrictions against mercury pollution.
This highly toxic metal today threatens human health and represents one of the main factors of biodiversity loss globally.
In response, the sixth conference of the Minamata Convention proposes concrete measures to reduce the commercialization of this metal.
Among the most relevant proposals is the total ban on dental amalgams.
These products are currently contraindicated for women of childbearing age, pregnant women, and children.
However, they continue to represent a risk for dental professionals.
The countries will also evaluate alternatives for manufacturing PVC plastic without mercury. Currently, 60% of the catalysts used in this industry contain the toxic metal. The parties will analyze the feasibility of banning these components.
Artisanal mining, the main problem of mercury pollution
Artisanal or small-scale gold mining tops the list as the largest source of global mercury emissions.
The representatives present in Geneva will address specific strategies to control this activity.
“Indigenous communities in the Amazon have mercury concentrations up to 15 times higher than the limits recommended by the World Health Organization,” warned the German NGO Frankfurt Zoological Society in an official statement.
Considering this data, the conference includes the participation of indigenous peoples’ representatives.
They currently face the greatest vulnerability to mercury pollution.
Their high dependence on natural resources and insufficient access to health services and environmental monitoring place them in an extreme risk position.
The Minamata Secretariat highlighted that mercury pollution is currently one of the main factors of biodiversity loss on a global scale.
A tragedy that gave the treaty its name
The Convention takes its name from the Japanese bay of Minamata, which in the mid-20th century suffered severe contamination from industrial mercury discharges.
At that time, thousands of people were poisoned, developing the so-called Minamata Disease.
This includes symptoms such as brain damage, paralysis, incoherent speech, and delusional disorders.
The decisions made in Geneva this week will be crucial to protect both human health and the environment from the devastating effects of mercury.
