Mercury contamination sources: how to reduce health impact

HEJSupport, Eco-Accord and IPEN provided expert and technical support to NGOs in EECCA region in organising a discussion on mercury health effects and mercury contaminated sites with the focus on Kazakhstan.

The presentation inter alia highlighted the sources of mercury exposure in the environment and at home; mercury containing consumer products; the global concern about mercury; consequences of mercury impact on health.

A detailed presentation about mercury hot spots in Kazakhstan was made by ECOM NGO, including key sources of exposure, and monitoring data of soil and water contamination.

The following conclusions were made.

1. Low awareness of the problems of mercury pollution among the public and decision makers alike.
2. Inadequate monitoring of mercury in soil, food and humans.
3. Emissions are not regulated and unintentional emission reductions are not considered in the development of environmental programmes.
4. No system for collection and disposal of mercury-containing solid waste is in place.
5. Lack of constantly updated consolidated information in the section on mercury pollution in the National report on the state of environment and use of natural resources in Kazkahstan, in the category of mercury-containing waste in the waste cadaster, in the relevant section in the national PRTR which reduces possibility to take into account mercury pollution issues in the environmental programs at the national and regional levels.

The webinar recording is available at: https://youtu.be/p8wWt9Wns-o

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