Context

Recently, Governments of Albania, Burkina Faso, India, Montenegro and Uganda have united to combat chemical pollution today, launching a $134-million project to eliminate the use of mercury in medical devices.

Ending Mercury Devices in Healthcare

• The Phasing out Mercury Devices in Healthcare project, led by UNEP and funded by GEF, and executed by WHO, aims to develop nationwide strategies to halt the import, export, and manufacturing of mercury-based thermometers and sphygmomanometers.
• It promotes the adoption of accurate, affordable, and safe mercury-free alternatives and enhances the management of mercury-containing medical waste.

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Mercury

Mercury naturally occurs in the Earth’s crust. The World Health Organization (WHO) regards it as among the top ten chemicals or chemical groups posing significant public health risks.

Major Applications of Mercury

• Thermometers and Barometers: Mercury’s high thermal expansion coefficient and visible properties make it ideal for traditional thermometers and barometers.
• Chemical and Mining Applications: Mercury has been employed in a range of chemical and mining processes, such as chlorine production and gold mining.
• Electronics and Electrical Components: Mercury-wetted switches find application in diverse electrical systems due to mercury’s conductivity and low resistance, ensuring dependable electrical connections.

Sources of Mercury Pollution

• Natural Sources: Volcanic eruptions emit minor quantities of mercury. The erosion of rocks and soil can lead to the release of mercury into aquatic environments.
• Anthropogenic Sources:
• • Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM): It serves as a significant contributor to mercury pollution, employing mercury in the extraction of gold from ore. 
  • Mercury is utilized to form amalgams with gold particles, which are subsequently heated to vaporize the mercury, leaving behind pure gold. 
  • Artisanal gold mining activities account for 37% of mercury pollution worldwide.
• Industrial Activities: Numerous industries, including chlorine production, cement manufacturing, and waste incineration, release mercury into the environment.
• • Approximately 11% of global anthropogenic mercury emissions are attributed to the cement industry.
• Coal-Fired Power Plants: Mercury, present in trace amounts within coal, is released into the atmosphere during combustion. These emissions can disperse over long distances and accumulate in the environment.
• Consumer Goods: Mercury finds application in select consumer products, including thermometers, fluorescent light bulbs, and batteries.
• Waste Management: Inadequate disposal of e-waste items containing mercury, such as fluorescent bulbs and batteries, results in mercury seeping into the environment.

Effects of Mercury Pollution

• Health Impacts:  High levels of mercury exposure can harm the brain, kidneys, and central nervous system, resulting in developmental delays, cognitive impairment, and various other health complications.
• Environmental Consequences:Mercury contamination can have broad environmental impacts, including reduced biodiversity, changes in species distribution, and disruptions in nutrient cycling
• Wildlife Effects: Mercury contamination poses significant risks to aquatic wildlife, with higher levels accumulating in larger fish due to the food chain. This can lead to reproductive issues, decreased growth, survival rates, and other health challenges for wildlife.
• Minamata disease: Methylmercury accumulates in aquatic organisms, like fish, and is mainly ingested by humans through fish and shellfish consumption. 
  • This compound increases the risk of Minamata disease, characterized by sensory impairments, tremors, and sensory deficits.

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Minamata Convention on Mercury

• About: Adopted in Geneva in 2013 and enforced in 2017, it stands as the first global treaty with legal obligations aimed at safeguarding human health and the environment from the harmful impacts of mercury.
• Origin: Named after the Japanese city that witnessed the outbreak of Minamata disease, a neurological condition stemming from severe mercury poisoning, during the 1950s.
• Signatories: 148  Parties and 128 Signatories to it. India ratified it in 2018 with flexibility for continued use of mercury-based products and processes involving mercury compounds up to 2025.