Skip to content

Mercury treaty shifts strategy to aim at dental fillings, illegal cosmetics

In the shadow of a decades-long toxic legacy, nations have been cracking down on mercury pollution with mixed results.

Over 4,000 mercury-containing lamps were replaced in 2024 at Geneva's International Environment House where the Minamata Convention's Secretariat is headquartered.
Over 4,000 mercury-containing lamps were replaced in 2024 at Geneva's International Environment House where the Minamata Convention's Secretariat is headquartered. (AN/UNEP)

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, set to convene during the first week of November, will focus on closing regulatory loopholes and addressing mercury's resurgence through illicit markets, even as gold prices drive up the use of the toxic metal in small-scale mining worldwide.

Get full Free+ access with a free subscription

Join now

Already have an account? Log in

Latest