Mercury in products: Integrated approaches and innovative tools for a sustainable waste management - BRS COPs 2025 side event

Date: Wednesday 7 May

Time: 6:15 pm – 7:45 pm CEST

Where: Online and in person, in the Exhibition area

The Global Mercury Partnership, its areas of work on mercury in products and waste management is proposing a 90 minutes’ side event on the management of waste from mercury containing products to be held during the 2025 BRS COPs.

Building on growing momentum to eliminate mercury in products, this event will bring together the Global Mercury Partnership, sister agencies, and project partners to spotlight innovative approaches and tools for managing waste from mercury-containing products. Drawing from two GEF-funded initiatives - targeting the phase down of dental amalgam in Senegal, Thailand, and Uruguay, and the phase-out of mercury measuring devices in healthcare in Albania, Burkina Faso, India, Montenegro, and Uganda—the session will highlight tangible results and opportunities for replication. 

Aligned with the COP theme “Make Visible the Invisible: sound management of chemicals and wastes,” the discussion will link national action to the requirements of the Basel Convention, shed light on successful strategies for institutional engagement, and examine the administrative procedures necessary for compliance. Featuring insights from health, environment, and waste management sectors, the session will emphasize South-South-North cooperation and present concrete lessons learned to advance coordinated, sustainable mercury waste solutions.  

The event will be moderated by the Global Mercury Partnership. Remote participation will be available via Registration.

Provisional Agenda

6:15-6:25 Opening remarks and scene setting - Malgorzata Stylo, UNEP Global Mercury Partnership

6:25-7:00 Panel discussion 1: Joining forces in tackling the sound management of waste for Hg containing products at global level - facilitated by Benoit Varenne, World Health Organization

• Key collaborations with relevant bodies and recommendations in treating Hg wastes - Eisaku Toda, Secretariat of the Minamata Convention
• Guiding parties in implementing requirements of the Basel convention: insights and recommendations - Agustin Harte, Secretariat of the Basel Convention
• Sound management of mercury waste: inclusive approach in developing recent and upcoming tools - Kishor Parajuli, Waste Management Area
• Managing mercury waste in health care facilities: needs and effective, practical actions from countries and partners - Margaret Montgomery, World Health Organization

Questions & Answers Poll

7:00-7:35 Panel discussion 2: Solutions and lessons learned from the countries and experts - facilitated by Benoit Varenne, World Health Organization

• Treating Hg wastes: shedding light on key steps, from collection to final disposal - David Hunter, BATREC
• Phasing out Mercury Measuring Devices and resulting wastes in healthcare: key progress, needs and way forward - Anne Nakafeero, National Environment Management Authority, Uganda
• Key successes, challenges and next steps in managing mercury containing medical devices - Christopher Kanema, Ministry of Environment, Zambia
• Supporting South-South-North collaboration for a durable management of mercury containing wastes: key lessons learned and needs - Jashaf Shamir Lorenzo, BanToxics

Polls - Questions & Answers

7:35-7:45 Closing remarks - Grace Halla, GEF Chemicals and Waste Unit, UNEP