Resources

IPEN has produced numerous mercury- related publications, which are listed below. Some of these are available in hard copy – for inquiries, please contact ipen@ipen.org

NGO Introduction to Mercury Pollution

In December, 2010 IPEN released “An NGO Introduction to Mercury Pollution.” This book provides information about mercury pollution and its harm to human health and the environment. The book also presents the major sources of mercury pollution and calls for civil society efforts at the local, national, and global level to work toward controlling human activities that release mercury into the environment. Arabic, Chinese, English, Russian, Spanish

IPEN Views on a Global Mercury Treaty

In 2009, governments of the world agreed to start negotiations on a global mercury treaty with the goal of finishing by 2013. After consultations and input from NGOs in all regions of the world, IPEN adopted its “Views on a Global Mercury Treaty” policy statement, which explains why a global treaty on mercury is needed and puts forward a civil society vision for the treaty.

Arabic, Bahasa Indonesian, Chinese, Czech, English, French, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish

IPEN /SSNC report: A survey of mercury content in the hair of delegates at the first UN negotiating meeting for a global treaty on mercury.

English version / Japanese version

At the 1st International Negotiating Committee (INC1) for a Global Treaty on Mercury, negotiators from 40 countries were tested by IPEN and SSNC, and mercury levels between 93 ug/kg and 2956 ug/kg were found in their hair samples. More than one-third of the samples exceeded the US National Research Council mercury reference dose of 1000 ug/kg. Surprisingly, average mercury levels in people from developing and transition countries were twice the levels measured in delegates from developed countries. The difference was statistically significant.

Market Analysis of Some Mercury-Containing Products

An analysis of some mercury-containing products and their mercury-free alternatives was conducted by ARNIKA – Toxics and Waste Programme, IPEN and the Gesellschaft für Anlagenund Reaktorsicherheit (GRS) mbH. Read the results here.

The countries that undertook surveys for the report are: Brazil, China, Czech Republic, India, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Russia, and Senegal

Asia Pacific Study on Heavy Metals in Commerce

IPEN conducted the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Chemicals Branch study about heavy metals in products in Asia. The study was to focus mainly on the analysis of trade, use and disposal of products containing cadmium, lead and mercury in Asia and the Pacific in order to assess how this can lead to adverse human and environmental effects due to release of these toxic heavy metals.

IPEN gathered and condensed case studies from IPEN Participating Organizations in 7 countries in the Asia and Pacific region. The case studies highlighted issues such as e-waste, heavy metals in batteries, lead in paint, lead in children’s jewelry, CFL recycling & hazards, and mercury in the healthcare sector.

UNEP was provided with the information, which they incorporated into a final report: Study on the possible effects on Human Health & the Environment in Asia & the Pacific of the trade of products containing Lead, Cadmium & Mercury

IPEN Participating Organizations have also produced different kinds of materials in various languages relating to their mercury-free activities. You can find them via individual country / NGO pages on the Activities and Locations page.

Impacted Community Posters

For INC2, IPEN created a set of posters that provided information about specific communities from different places around the world that are negatively impacted by mercury. Please see the posters below:

Langkowala River Watershed, Indonesia- information provided by Balifokus

Minamata, Japan- information provided by CACP