M i n i s t r y o f t h e E n v i r o n m e n t S t o c k h o l m, S w e d e n Breaking the Mercury Cycle, Boston, May 1-3, 2002 Viktoria Ljung Ministry of the Environment Division for Ecomanagement Strategies and Industrial Co-operation

M i n i s t r y o f t h e E n v i r o n m e n t S t o c k h o l m, S w e d e n Government bill in 98 Parliament decision in 99- ”The overall objective is to solve today´s environmental problems before the years ”

M i n i s t r y o f t h e E n v i r o n m e n t S t o c k h o l m, S w e d e n National Objectives for Environmental Quality Clean air High-quality groundwater Sustainable lakes and watercourses Flourising wetlands Balanced marine and coastal environment No europhication Natural acidification only Sustainable forests Varied agricultural landscape Magnificient mountainscape Good urban environment Non-toxic environment Safe radiation environment Protective ozone layer Limited effects on climate change

M i n i s t r y o f t h e E n v i r o n m e n t S t o c k h o l m, S w e d e n A Non-Toxic Environment The outcomes within a generation for the environmental quality objective A Non-Toxic Environment should include the following: The concentrations of substances that naturally occour in the environment are close to the background concentrations. The levels of foreign substances in the environment are close to zero. Polluted areas have been investigated and cleaned up where necessary.

M i n i s t r y o f t h e E n v i r o n m e n t S t o c k h o l m, S w e d e n Swedish Policy for Mercury

M i n i s t r y o f t h e E n v i r o n m e n t S t o c k h o l m, S w e d e n The objective is to end the use of Hg by 2010

M i n i s t r y o f t h e E n v i r o n m e n t S t o c k h o l m, S w e d e n 1992 Prohibition to manufacture and sell certain products containing Hg, for example thermometers, electrical equipment, certain batteries Prohibition to export Hg 2001 Obligation to pre-treat electric and electronic waste befor disposal 2003 Prohibition to use Hg in production of new cars (EU)

M i n i s t r y o f t h e E n v i r o n m e n t S t o c k h o l m, S w e d e n 2004 Restrictions to use Hg, in for example in production processes 2009 Prohibition to use Hg in chlor- alkali production 2010 Legal obligation to dispose of Hg waste in deep rock storage

M i n i s t r y o f t h e E n v i r o n m e n t S t o c k h o l m, S w e d e n Collection of Hg

M i n i s t r y o f t h e E n v i r o n m e n t S t o c k h o l m, S w e d e n Proposal by the Committee on the Terminal Storage of Mercury Legal requirement to permanently store Hg waste deep in bedrock Waste owners bear the responsibility for construction, location, building and management of the facility Should be effected by 2010