Global mercury pollution has been recognised as a major problem that can only be tackled effectively by international regulation and government cooperation. Mercury is a hazardous neurotoxin that can cause many health problems in humans, and most exposure is caused by dietary impacts such as eating contaminated fish where mercury bioaccumulates.

The Minamata Convention on Mercury has been developed as the main international legal instrument to protect human health and the environment from mercury pollution with range of controls on trade, emissions, and use of mercury. The fifth Conference of the Parties (COP-5) of the Minamata Convention on Mercury (Mercury Treaty) will take place in Geneva from 30 October to 3 November 2023, and several important decisions will be discussed.

Find IPEN's Quick Views for COP-5 here.

Other mercury resources include:

• Mercury in Women of Child-bearing Age in 25 Countries
• Mercury exposure of women in Four Latin American gold mining countries
• Contaminated sites and their management (Arnika)
• Toxic Hotspots (Russian - Arnika)