1. UNEP Mercury (Hg) Programme Lead (Pb) and Cadmium (Cd) Initiatives/Activities
Mercury and Other Metals Programme
Chemicals Branch, DTIE
United Nations Environment Program

2. Why a global assessment of Hg*?
Initiated by UNEP Governing Council in February 2001 (21st session)
Responded to concerns raised in different fora that national/regional action not sufficient to address Hg pollution
UNEP’s involvement in mercury issue started in 2001, when the UNEP Governing Council initiated the development of a global assessment of mercury.
The Governing Council’s decision in 2001 to initiate a global assessment of mercury responded to concerns that had been expressed in a number of different fora, such as the Arctic Council and the Executive body for the LRTAP Convention or Convention on Long-Range Trans-boundary Air Pollution – that mercury is a global pollutant and that initiating controls in a limited geographic region were proving to be insufficient to address the adverse impacts on health and the environment in these regions.
By requesting the development of the assessment report, the Governing Council wanted to ensure that it had a good basis for considering whether any international action on mercury was called for.
* Hg = mercury

3. Global Mercury Assessment Key findings- global cycling
Hg is persistent and cycles globally – emissions in any continent can contribute to deposition in others
thus an international issue
Due to long-range transport, even nations with minimal Hg releases, and other areas remote from industrial activity, may be adversely affected.
Foto.com
The Assessment report summarizes a number of key findings of global relevance that the Working Group used to reach its conclusions -
I will not go through them in detail, as most of you present here are very well aware of these findings
Coal-fired power plant

4. Key findings – impacts on health and environment of global concern
Studies from numerous geographic areas indicate a significant portion of humans and wildlife throughout the world are exposed to methyl-Hg levels of concern
Many humans/wildlife across the globe are at risk, largely due to consumption of contaminated fish
The Assessment report summarizes a number of key findings of global relevance that the Working Group used to reach its conclusions -
I will not go through them in detail, as most of you present here are very well aware of these findings.
Tuna fishing in the Mediterranean

5. Key findings – growing problem in developing countries
Hg may be more problematic to less-developed regions (growing energy demand, poor waste treatment facilities, artisanal gold mining activity, etc.)
Uses being phased out in developed countries may still be ongoing in developing countries
UNIDO
The assessment report also emphasizes the fact that, as uses and releases of mercury have been decreasing in the developed world in recent years, due to the substantial reduction measures that have been implemented in these regions, - the issues associated with mercury pollution may now becoming gradually more problematic to developing regions
The growing energy demand is an issue of concern in a number of developing regions where effective control technologies are not always readily available, not only with regard to mercury emissions from the combustion of coal, but also other pollutants such as carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.
Information also confirms that many of the uses that are being phased out in developed countries are still ongoing in various less-developed countries -
To mention only a few examples - mercury containing batteries are still produced and used in both Africa and Asia, skin-lightening creams containing mercury (although sometimes illegally) are still readily available in a number of countries, both in Africa and the Americas, mercury containing paints and pesticides are still produced and used in a number of countries in Africa, etc.
Very few developing countries have well developed waste treatment facilities, let alone hazardous waste treatment facilities where waste mercury can be deposited in an appropriate manner, and waste mercury from products and processes is being released to the environment of these countries in an uncontrolled manner.
Finally, small scale or artisanal gold mining using mercury is on the increase, with an increasing number of countries reporting such activities – and although there are still large uncertainties relating to the actual amounts of mercury being released and impacts of these releases globally – they are causing serious damage to workers involved in such activities and their families in a number of countries.
Using liquid Hg to amalgamate gold

6. Sufficient basis for international action
Sufficient evidence of significant global adverse impacts from Hg to warrant further international action
Better understanding important,
however, not necessary with
full consensus on all aspects or
complete evidence in order to start
initiating action globally
Outline of possible options for addressing problems – covering short, medium and long-term goals
Based on these key findings the Working Group concluded:
That the information in the assessment report clearly shows that there is now sufficient evidence of significant global adverse impacts from Hg to warrant further international action
And
That although a better understanding of a number of issues is still important, it is not necessary with full consensus on all aspects or complete evidence in order to start initiating action globally.

7. GC Decision 2003 Need for global policy response
The Governing Council
Endorsed conclusions of the Working Group
Decided (GC 22/4)
national, regional and global actions should be initiated ASAP
Urged all countries to adopt goals and take actions to identify exposed populations and reduce anthropogenic Hg releases
As requested by the Governing Gouncil in 2001, the Global Mercury Assessment report and the conclusions and recommendations agreed by the Working Group were submitted to the UNEP Governing Council at its 22nd session in February 2003.
The Governing Council considered the report and reached consensus on a number of important conclusions, setting the stage for global action on mercury in the years to come:
The Governing Council:
Expressed great concern for the documented adverse effects on human health and the environment attributed to mercury and its capacity to cycle throughout the globe and
Fully endorsed the conclusions of the Working Group that there is now sufficient evidence of significant global adverse impacts from Hg to warrant international action
The Council decided that national, regional and global actions to reduce or eliminate releases of mercury to the environment, both immediate and long-term, should be initiated as soon as possible and thus
Urged all countries to adopt goals and take national actions to identify exposed populations and reduce Hg releases that have an impact on human health and the environment.
UNEP Headquarters Nairobi

8. Establishment of a UNEP Mercury Programme
To support efforts of countries to take action to reduce Hg pollution, the Governing Council requested UNEP to initiate technical assistance and capacity building activities to support the efforts of countries.
In response, UNEP established a mercury programme within its Chemicals Branch in Geneva, Switzerland.
In order to follow-up on the UNEP Governing Council’s decision, UNEP established a mercury programme within the Chemicals Unit of UNEP.
United Nations, Geneva

9. UNEP Mercury Programme -
Aims to assisting countries to understand and address Hg problems, through
Building inventories of uses and releases
Identifying populations at risk
Developing communication and outreach to at-risk populations
Initiating actions to reduce uses and releases of Hg, including promoting Hg-free products, technologies and processes, using environmentally friendly alternatives
The UNEP Mercury programme primarily aims to capacitate countries to understand and address mercury problems

10. UNEP Mercury Programme - Building capacity
7 awareness raising workshops in 2004/05
Establish and maintain an information clearing- house
Produce/obtain guidance materials for
Developing inventories of Hg releases
Identifying populations at risk
Communication/outreach to populations at risk
Options/approaches to reduce Hg releases
UNEP Workshop, Trinidad
In , UNEP organized a series of awareness raising workshop, especially in developing regions of the world, with participation from Government representatives of the various countries in each region. A total of 110 countries were represented in these workshops
The aim of these workshops was:
To raise awareness of the global, regional and local nature of mercury pollution problems and assist countries to identify and prioritize mercury issues within their borders and within their region;
To raise awareness of the potential options that are available to reduce exposures, uses, and releases of mercury;
To promote action, both immediate and long-term, at national/ regional levels;
To promote the exchange of information on problems and solutions; and
To prepare countries for future policy discussions of further measures for addressing the significant global adverse impacts of mercury at the next UNEP Governing Council session.
In addition, we are developing a series of guidance document and toolkits that we hope will be useful for countries that are interested in implementing action – these guidance materials include topics such as :
Developing an inventory of mercury uses and releases
Assessing exposures and identifying populations at risk
Developing communication/outreach to populations at risk
Considering possible options and approaches to reduce Hg releases

11. Governing Council 2005 GC 23/9 omnibus decision
on sound chemicals management
Synergies among Conventions (Montreal, Basel,
Rotterdam, Stockholm) and the
Chemicals Branch of UNEP
Bali Strategic Plan for Technology Support and Capacity Building
Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM)
GC 2005 highlighted the need for synergy among all relevant chemical conventions and outlined the process of the Strategic Approach to Chemicals Management. The GC decision called for strengthening of the mercury programme

12. GC 23/9 : Strengthened the UNEP Mercury Programme
Reiterated the conclusions of the GMA report on the global adverse impacts of Hg on health and
environment
Reiterated its decision that
national, regional and global actions should be initiated ASAP
Urged all countries to adopt goals and take actions to identify exposed populations and reduce anthropogenic Hg releases
Governing Gouncil reiterated the findings of the Global Mercury Assessment report
The Council reiterated that national, regional and global actions to reduce or eliminate releases of mercury to the environment, both immediate and long-term, should be initiated as soon as possible and thus
Urged all countries to adopt goals and take national actions to identify exposed populations and reduce Hg releases that have an impact on human health and the environment.
UNEP Headquarters Nairobi

13. UNEP Summary of supply, trade and demand information on mercury
Mercury trade statistics
( UNComtrade, Eurostat, US ITC, other organizations)
Global production and supply of mercury
International Trade in Mercury
Global demand of mercury

14. Global mercury supply, 2005, in metric tonnes
Primary mercury mining
By-product mercury
Recycled mercury from chlor-alkali
wastes
Recycled mercury – other
Mercury from chlor-alkali cells
(decommissioning)
Stocks
Total
The UNEP report on mercury supply, trade and demand identifies the following as the highest sources of mercury supply in 2005
a) Primary mining : Even with the closure of the Spanish Almaden mining, primary mining is still present in Kyrgyzstan and China
b) By product mercury
c) Recycled mercury from chlor-alkali plants that includes mercury from sludges and wastes that are retorted on-site, as well as mercury from wastes that are sent off-site for recycling.
d) “Recycled mercury – other” includes all non-chlor-alkali sources
“Mercury from chlor-alkali cells” that is elemental mercury removed from cells at decommissioning.
The mercury made available from Former Soviet Union stocks in 2005 was not delivered until early There is no information on other stocks that may have been exploited.

15. Mercury - Global Demand by Region
In 2005, highest mercury demand was in East and Southeast Asia, followed by South Asia, then from the EU (25 countries)

16. Global mercury demand by sector 2005, in metric tons
Small-scale/artisanal gold mining ,000
Vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) production
Chlor-alkali production
Batteries Dental use
Measuring and control devices
Lighting
Electrical and electronic devices Other (paints, laboratory, pharmaceutical, cultural/traditional uses, etc.)
Total: 3,000-3,900
Note: “Demand” may also be termed “gross consumption,” and is here defined as total annual throughput of mercury for each of these sectors. In each of these sectors some mercury recycling takes place, involving the recovery of mercury from products or wastes. Therefore, “net consumption” of mercury in any of these sectors may be significantly lower than “gross consumption.”
Sources: Euro Chlor ( Maxson (2004, 2005, 2006), NRDC comments (2006), GMP (2006).

17. Mercury – Global Demand by Use
The UNEP report on mercury supply, trade and demand identifies the following as the highest source of mercury demand by use (also means gross consumption) in descending order: small scale artisanal gold mining, vinyl chloride monomer production, chlor alkali production, batteries, dental use, electrical and electronic devices, lighting, etc.

18. UNEP Governing Council 24 Decision 24/3 IV
Recognizes that current efforts to reduce risks from mercury are not sufficient to address the global challenges posed by mercury;
Concludes, therefore, that further long-term international action is required to reduce risks to human health and the environment and that, for this reason, the options of enhanced voluntary measures and new or existing international legal instruments will be reviewed and assessed in order to
make progress in addressing this issue;

19. UNEP Governing Council 24 Decision 24/3 IV
Recognizes that a range of activities are required to address the challenges posed by mercury
Approach: 2 Primary Ways Forward:
Voluntary approach, including the use of Partnerships
Establishing an Open Ended Working Group to review and asses options for enhanced voluntary measures and new or existing legal instruments

20. UNEP Governing Council 24 Decision 24/3 IV
Urges Governments to gather information on means to reduce risk that may be caused
by the supply of mercury, considering:
(a) Reduced reliance on primary mercury mining in favor of environmentally preferable sources of mercury such as recycled mercury ;
(b) Options and solutions for the long-term storage of mercury and regional activities to improve data on imports and exports of mercury and enforcement of customs controls

21. UNEP Governing Council 24 Decision 24/3 IV: A UNEP report on
Atmospheric emissions data and trends, including analysis by country, region, and sector
Current results from regional modeling
Sector based best practices for reducing mercury emissions including costs
Analysis of information on risks associated with contaminated sites, mitigation options and costs, its contribution to global mercury releases
Promote inventories of mercury use and release
UNEP is working with experts on mercury fate and transport to produce this report; the annotated outline will be presented to the OEWG in Novemberfor adoption

22. UNEP Governing Council 24 Decision 24/3 IV
UNEP Global Mercury Partnerships- overarching policy framework
Development of business plans;
Identification of partnership goals;
Development of operational guidelines
Expand to include Vinyl Chloride Monomer production, waste combustion, nonferrous metals, and cement production
Enhancement of UNIDO partnership on ASM
Call for funding
In June, there will be an exploratory meeting of interested stakeholders to chart the path forward for Partnerships

23. UNEP Governing Council 24 Decision 24/3 IV
Decides, further, to establish an ad hoc open-ended working group of Governments, regional economic integration organizations and stakeholder representatives to review and assess options for enhanced voluntary measures and new or existing international legal instruments
Invites Governments to consider convening national and regional preparatory workshops, involving relevant stakeholders
OEWG to meet twice: once before the 10th special session of the GC and once before GC 25
The first OEWG meeting is set on November 2007

24. OEWG: Terms of Reference
Examine
a) the reports and information for each of the identified priorities;
b) the range of available response measures and strategies to include the costs and benefits ;
c) the feasibility and effectiveness of voluntary and legally binding approaches ;
d) implementation options ;
Consider
e) respective capacities of both developed and developing countries ;
f) the need for capacity building, technical assistance, technology transfer and suitable sources of finance

25. UNEP Mercury Programme - Facilitating national action
Encourage and support development of national and regional action plans to address Hg pollution
Mobilize technical and financial resources to support national, regional and global efforts and capacity-building - small grants programme (USD 50,000) - priorities, sample project proposal
In the longer term, our efforts will focus on encouraging and supporting the development of national and regional action plans to address mercury pollution. As you are aware, a number of governments, especially in North America and in Europe have been and continue to work actively to reduce uses and releases of mercury within their borders. Through our awareness raising workshops it is clear that this is not the case in the majority of countries in the developing world. Although it varies among countries, often there is very little information is available on levels of mercury in various media and there is limited or very little knowledge on potential exposures and risks to the population.
It will be a challenge for these countries to generate such data in order to ensure that their efforts focus on problems of real relevance to them.
Another challenge will be to mobilize technical and financial resources to support national and regional efforts, especially in developing countries.
Currently technical and financial resources to assist countries to address mercury issues are limited. However, there is a slowly growing interest and recognition in the donor and funding community of the importance of the mercury pollution issue and an international consensus on necessary global measures will enhance this interest.

26. Priority areas for technical assistance : GC 24/3 IV
(a) To reduce atmospheric mercury emissions from human sources;
(b) To find environmentally sound solutions for the management of waste containing mercury and mercury compounds;
(c) To reduce global mercury demand related to use in products and production processes;
(d) To reduce the global mercury supply, including considering curbing primary mining and taking into account a hierarchy of sources;
(e) To find environmentally sound storage solutions for mercury;
(f) To address, considering the results of the analysis
the remediation of existing contaminated sites affecting public and environmental health;
(g) To increase knowledge on areas such as inventories, human and environmental exposure, environmental monitoring and socio-economic impacts
UNEP has identified a number of priority areas for technical assistance and capacity building activities. Limited funding ( small grants for funding less than 50,000 USD) is available and will be prioritized to developing countries and countries with economies in transition.

27. UNEP Guidance Document - Toolkit for Inventory Development
Completed in Nov 2005
Translations in other UN languages
Pilot testing at national level with selected countries
mercury/toolkit/default.htm
Other UNEP activities include the development of UNEP guidance documents including a toolkit for inventory development. This toolkit is being translated to the 6 UN languages and will be pilot tested in selected countries

28. UNEP Toolkit for Inventory Development will provide:
Summary of release pathways & source types
Guidance on how to develop an inventory, focused on a stepwise approach:
from gathering simple qualitative information to developing a detailed quantitative inventory
Detailed descriptions of source categories, including example data, input factors, and output distribution factors
to be supplemented as experience is gained
The toolkit for inventory development will help countries develop an inventory focused on a stepwise approach , from gathering simple qualitative information to developing a detailed quantitative inventory

29. Guidance document with WHO/FAO/JECFA
Communicate
risks to
vulnerable groups
Identify populations
at risk due to
Hg exposure
Awaiting WHO work on risk benefit analysis
A guidance document on identifying populations at risk is also being developed. The document is awaiting outcome of WHO paper on risk benefit analysis. The document will be presented as an INF document to the OEWG

30. UNEP Guide on Use and Release of Mercury
Power & Heat Production and Refinement and Use of Oil & Gas
Primary (virgin) Metal Production
Production of recycled metals ‘secondary production’
Production of other minerals and materials with Hg impurities39
Intentional use of Mercury as an auxiliary or catalyst in industrial processes
Production, use and disposal of consumer products with intentional use of mercury
Other intentional products/process use
Waste Incineration
Waste treatment, disposal, deposition/landfilling
This guidance material will be very useful for policy makers and country planners

31. Synergies with the Basel Convention
Development of technical guidelines on the environmentally sound management of mercury waste
Pilot testing in selected countries
The draft guidelines will be presented to the OEWG of the Basel convention scheduled to meet this September 2007

32. UNEP –Other heavy metals activities Lead and Cadmium
UNEP GC Decision 21/5 in 2001 discussed the need for assessment of other heavy metals, such as lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) which could be of global concern
GC Decision 22/4 V on mercury programme in 2003 decided to consider further action on other metals such as lead and cadmium
GC Decision 23/9 III on Pb and Cd in 2005, requested UNEP to develop reviews of scientific information on these 2 metals, focusing on issue of long-range environmental transport
GC 23 likewise requested UNEP to develop scientific reviews on lead and cadmium, focusing on the issue of long range environmental transport
In 2001, the Governing Council in its decision 21/5 on mercury assessment agreed to consider, at its twenty-second session, whether there was a need for assessments of other heavy metals of possible global concern.
In 2003, the Governing Council in its decision 22/4 V on the mercury programme decided to consider, at its twenty-third session, what further action might be taken with regard to other heavy metals, for example lead and cadmium.
In 2005, the Governing Council in its decision 23/9 III on lead and cadmium requested UNEP to undertake a process to develop the two reviews of scientific information on lead and cadmium which are under discussion at the first meeting of the Lead and Cadmium Working Group. The decision reads as follows:

33. Scientific review approach- Transparent process with large ownership in key findings
Called for submissions from Governments, IGOs, NGOs and industry and established an open-ended working group to review and finalize report
Working Group meeting (Geneva, September 2006):
Finalized the reviews and draw key findings on Pb and Cd : includes chemistry, information on long range environmental transport, human populations and ecosystems at risk, and magnitude of threat,sources of emissions and releases, production, use and trade patterns information gaps, properties which may be of global relevance, initiatives for preventing and controlling releases and limiting exposures
The work on the scientific reviews for lead and cadmium was initiated through a call for submissions of relevant information from all Governments and relevant stakeholders. Well over Governments and a number of organizations submitted information as background for the report.
As is often the case in international fora such as UNEP, an open-ended working group consisting of representatives nominated by all Governments, intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations such as public interest groups, industry and the scientific community, was established to review drafts of the report. As in the process of the global Mercury Assessment report, a transparent process with broad based participation and ownership is the approach in this scientific review.
The report was drafted using as far as possible recently published authoritative reviews and internationally peer-reviewed information, supplemented by the national information submitted from various regions of the world. The final draft of the report was reviewed just most recently. Highlights of the meeting include…

34. Lead and Cadmium Scientific Reviews, Interim Reports
UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME DTIE/CHEMICALS
Interim review of scientific information on lead
Version of October 2006
UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME DTIE/CHEMICALS
Interim review of scientific information on cadmium
Version of October 2006

35. GC Decision 24/9 on Pb and Cd
Acknowledges the data and information gaps identified in the interim reviews of Pb and Cd
Calls on the ED to address the data gaps and finalize the scientific reviews on Pb and Cd
Gather information from stakeholders on risk management measures of Pb and Cd
Encourages efforts of all stakeholders to reduce the risk of Pb and Cd to human health and the environment

36. Further information can be found at:
More information on Mercury and other metals programme can be found at…

37. In closing - Our sincere gratitude to the Government of Switzerland for the support to the UNEP Mercury and other Metals Programme