Resources

What are Mercury-added Products? The Minamata Convention on Mercury defines a mercury-added product as a “product or product component that contains mercury or a mercury compound that was intentionally added.”

The toxic trade of often illegal mercury-added skin-lightening products is a global crisis expected to only worsen with skyrocketing demand, especially in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Consistent with other research, a new Zero Mercury Working Group (ZMWG) study indicates that a significant percentage of skin-lightening creams sold worldwide contains dangerous levels of mercury.

Presentation given by Peter Maxson on Custom Codes for Mercury added products given at the Global Mercury Partnership's side event during the Second Conference of Parties (COP 2) of the Minamata Convention. 

Presentation given by Lesley Sloss during the Global Mercury Partnership's side event during the Second Conference of Parties (COP 2) of the Minamata Convention.

Presentation given by Arturo Gavilan Garcia on Survey on Harmonized System Initiative of the Global Mercury Partnership given at the Global Mercury Partnership side event during the Second Conference of Parties (COP2) of the Minamata Convention

Presentation given by Yves Bertran during the Global Mercury Partnership's side event during the Second Conference of Parties (COP 2) of the Minamata Convention.

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Research on skin whitening products carried out under component III of the UNEP project "Development of Minamata Initial Assessment (MIA)" in Pakistan. This report covers all the details of research work, undertaken on local as well as international brands of Skin Whitening Creams (SWCs) collected from the markets at main cities of Pakistan.

This document outlines proposed revised customs codes for better data and better implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury

This report, Mercury in the Global Environment, presents data on mercury concentrations in biota of concern in Article 19 of the Minamata Convention (i.e., marine and freshwater fish, sea turtles, birds and marine mammals), which are extracted from the GBMS database. Mercury concentrations from key biota are presented and compared geographically and taxonomically through Case Studies.

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This guidance document has been developed as part of a WHO technical series on ASGM and health and specifically addresses how and where health considerations should be considered in the context of National Action Planning (NAP) processes related to ASGM, in particular as required under the Minamata Convention on Mercury.

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Development of National Action Plans (NAPs) for Artisanal and Small Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) is an obligation under Article 7 of the Minamata Convention on Mercury for each country that determines that ASGM in its territory is more than insignificant.

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***Update 2022***

Mercury in dental amalgam is a hidden source of global mercury pollution, resulting from the illegal diversion of dental mercury into the artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector, to crematoria emissions from the deceased and sewage sludge that is sold to farmers.

Morgane Fritz, James McQuilken, Nina Collins, Fitsum Weldegiorgis

IIED, IISD, IGF, January 2018

This visualization shows estimates of anthropogenic mercury emissions by country, region, and industry sector. Data are for year 2010 from the 2013 UNEP Global Mercury Assessment.

The bar graph shows the distribution of emissions by sector. The diagram on the lower right shows country and regional proportions of total emissions.

Xiaoxue Weng, Lila Buckley, Emma Blackmore, Bill Vorley, George Schoneveld, Paolo O. Cerutti, Davison Gumbo, Kaala B. Moombe, Stephen Kabwe, Jaqueline Muzenda, Kingstone Mujeyi, Maisory Chacha, Maria Njau, Jesper Jønsson 

IIED, June 2018

Fitsum Weldegiorgis, Lynda Lawson, Hannelore Verbrugge

IIED, IISD, IGF 2018

Recent tests in the U.S. state of Minnesota show that some skin lightening products have dangerous levels of mercury. Being exposed to the mercury in these products could cause serious health problems. This factsheet provides basic information for the general public. More information available here.

The UNEP Global Mercury Partnership is acting now on the substantive areas of the Minamata Convention on Mercury. This brochure illustrates key issues and how they are being addressed by partners of the UNEP Global Mercury Partnership.

Read the e-Book

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Alianza por la Minería Responsable 

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This interactive guide synthesizes and connects existing information on mercury-free practices in the ASGM sector through simple graphs, videos and illustrative success stories.