The document provides a history of mercury use and discusses the Minamata Convention. It describes how mercury has been used as a pigment and medicine for thousands of years. It then summarizes the Minamata Bay mercury poisoning incident in Japan in the 1950s-60s caused by industrial pollution. The rest of the document outlines the key points of the Minamata Convention, including banning mercury in various products and processes by certain dates, with exceptions for some traditional uses. It also notes industry opposition in Japan to restrictions on mercury trade.

1. A
Discussion
on MINAMATA
CONVENTION
-Nabin Lamichhane

2. Mercury….
• Mercury ore (cinnabar) used as pigment since Neolithic era (found
in 10,000 yr old cave paintings)
• Ancient Romans, Chinese used as rouge makeup
• Pigment mixed with wax for document seals in Middle Ages
• Syphilis Treatment
- 15th Century onward
- abandoned 1940 for penicillin
• Recognized as cause of disease in 19th Century (Hunter-Russell
Syndrome)
• Used in late-19th Century to extract silver from pulverized ore
• Diuretic (used through mid-20th Century)
• Used as a preservative in latex paints until banned by EPA in 1991
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3. Mercury
• Hg miners at high risk
• Found today in Chinese medications, skin
lightening creams, hair dyes
• Half from volcanic eruptions and other geological
processes
• Released into air by coal combustion, industrial
processes, mining, and waste disposal
– 4500 tons/yr
• Travels throughout atmosphere and settles in
oceans and waterways
• Bacteria convert it to toxic methyl-mercury
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4. Mercury
• Mercury used to capture gold particles as an
amalgam and used in gold mines.
• Other sources of mercury:
–Deforestation and runoff
–Industrial boilers
–Tooth fillings
–Car batteries
–Cosmetics
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5. Toxic Level of Mercury
• Mercury levels in air, blood, urine:
–“Normal” level = 5 mcg/l
–20 mcg/l – 100 mcg/l = subacute
toxicity, consider treatment
–>100 mcg/l in blood and/or urine =
toxic, treat
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11. History of Minamata
• Chisso Corporation was released Mercury in minamata bay (Southern
Japan, Shiranui Sea, Fishing village, Villagers: fisherman/Chisso
Corporation employees and their families)
• 1925 - local fishing cooperative compensated for decreased catch
• 1950s - bizarre behavioral changes observed in birds, marine fish, land
vertebrates
• 1950s / 1960s - reports in Japanese medical journals about human cases
• 1956 - cause (MeHg) of Minamata Disease elucidated
• 1958-60 - reports in English medical journals
• 1965 - fishing banned in Minamata Bay after similar events noted in
Niigata, Japan
• 1968 - all acetaldehyde-producing plants ceased operating
• 1970 - Japan Water Pollution Control Act, Allowed no detectable Hg or
MeHg in waste water
• 1997 – Minamata Bay declared free of mercury
• 2004 – Japanese Supreme Court rules government shares responsibility
for epidemic (government slow to react, cut off research funding in 1962)
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13. Minamata Convention….
• A set of legally binding measures to curb
mercury pollution
–As of 10/16/14, 128 countries have
signed and 6 (including the U.S.) have
ratified
–Takes effect 90 days after 50 nations
ratify
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14. Minamata Conventio
– Bans Hg-containing batteries by 2020 (button-cell batteries exempt)
– Bans switches and relays with Hg by 2020
– Limits Hg in soaps and some cosmetics
– Bans Hg in medical devices by 2020
– Exempts religious and traditional uses of Hg
– Bans use in certain types of manufacturing
• Japan – Asia’s largest exporter of mercury
• Japanese industry fighting treaty/trade ban
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15. Convention document
• Preamble
• Article 1 Objective: The objective of this Convention is
to protect the human health and the environment from
anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and
mercury compounds.
• Article 2 Definitions
• Article 3 Mercury supply sources and trade
• Article 4 Mercury-added products
• ………………………upto 35 articles
• Annexes A to E
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18. Thank You!!