GENEVA (AN) — The global pact to eliminate toxic mercury is set to adopt an aggressive new strategy next month, moving beyond industrial phase-outs to confront persistent public health threats in everyday products like dental fillings and the surging illegal trade of skin-lightening creams.
The sixth Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury will meet in early November to focus on closing regulatory loopholes and addressing mercury's resurgence through illicit markets, even as gold prices drive up the toxic metal's use in small-scale mining.
Energy & Environment — Global Issues — Minamata Convention on Mercury 2013 — Switzerland — Japan — World Health Organization (WHO) — Zero Mercury Working Group — Gabon — Chile — Peru — Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste and Pollution — Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework — Global Environment Facility
