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Published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development
(IISD) in collaboration with the Swiss
Confederation
Vol. 127 No. 1
Monday, 25 September 2006
HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS ASSOCIATED WITH HEAVY
METALS: GLOBAL NEED FOR FURTHER ACTION?
The Swiss
Confederation organized an event, titled “Health
and environmental concerns associated with heavy metals: global need for
further action?,” in the context of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical
Safety (IFCS ForumV), to be held from 25 - 29 September 2006, in
Budapest, Hungary. The event was hold on Saturday, 23 September, and was
attended by over 150 participants, representing numerous governments,
agencies, intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental
organizations.
In the morning
and afternoon, participants heard case study presentations. Participants
were divided in three working groups (one for lead, one for mercury, and one for cadmium) for lunchtime
discussions. In the afternoon, rapporteurs from the working groups
presented results on lunchtime discussions, followed by further discussion open to
all participants.
The results of
the event will be forwarded to IFCS ForumV
for its consideration under agenda item 8 “Heavy Metals - need for further
global action?”
HEAVY METALS EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
Georg
Karlaganis, Switzerland, opened the meeting and said the event aims at
developing a better understanding and common approach to deal with the
challenges presented by the use of mercury, lead and cadmium. He
underscored that Switzerland was hosting the event answering to developing
countries’ demand to include heavy metals in the agenda. Judy Stober, IFCS Executive Secretary, outlined the structure of the
event.
CASE
STUDIES
Ravi Agarwal, Toxics Link, India, outlined the global demand and
supply trends for lead, cadmium and mercury, and emission and releases
from products or processes containing or using such metals. He noted in
the past decade the use of these heavy metals has been significantly
reduced in developed countries, while it has rapidly increased in
developing countries. Agarwal said that sectors such as coal-based power
generation, urban transportation and waste disposal are contributing to
the new releases.
Kristof Kozak,
Ministry of Environment Hungary, outlined Hungarian
legislation regarding restrictions of mercury use in products. He
highlighted Hungarian’s lighting industry compliance with mercury
regulations on compact and straight fluorescent lamps, and progressive
replacing of high intensity discharge lamps, with contents of up to 300mg
of mercury per lamp. Kozak underscored alternative technologies to mercury
thermometers, and explained the advantages and disadvantages of using
mercury-based sphygmomanometers in hospitals.
Jules de Kom,
Ministry of Public Health, Suriname, highlighted artisanal gold mining as
the main source of mercury emissions in Suriname. He said the main
exposures to mercury are occupational and environmental, with children and
pregnant women being the most vulnerable. De Kom noted the need for:
further government control over artisanal mining; regional and
international collaboration; integration of social and mercury issues;
financial resources and capacity building to implement solutions; and
compilation of information.
Answering
questions from participants, de Kom noted that mercury-free gold mining
techniques are more expensive, highlighted controls on the large-scale
mining companies, and elaborated on miners’ registration.
Ethelyn Nieto,
Department of Health, Philippines, outlined the results
of case study on health and environment risk assessment carried out on a
community nearby an abandoned mercury mine in the Philippines. Nieto said
the study concluded that children and women in exposed areas are
disadvantaged health wise in comparison with unexposed people, and
recommended, among other, remediation, continued monitoring, and provision
of safe potable drinking water to the affected communities.
Bjørn Erikson,
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions,
presented a number of occupational exposures and solutions for lead,
mercury, cadmium and asbestos. He noted that all substances and their
emissions cause several problems regarding environment, occupation and
public health that should be addressed in a holistic manner. Erikson
underscored the existence of a common ground for environmentalists and
trade unionists to work with hazardous chemicals.
Abiola
Olanipekun, University of Lagos, said that rises in industrial
activities and urbanization in Africa have lead to large increases in the
amount of heavy metals input in the environment. Alo Babajide, University
of Lagos, stressed high concentrations of heavy metals in Nigeria,
highlighted lack of data on rural areas, and called for a Programme of
Action on Heavy Metals in the Environment in Africa, to, among other,
identify sources, quantify discharges, and formulate workable pollution
control measures.
Maria Doa, US
Environmental Protection Agency, outlined the Global Partnerships for
Mercury Reduction, including Argentina, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Canada,
Mexico, Senegal, and the Philippines. She stressed partnerships’ ability
to provide effective actions and tangible reductions of mercury use and
emissions. Doa summarized the ongoing partnerships that include
initiatives on chlor-alkali factories, coal combustion utilities, and
artisanal and small-scale gold mining. She said the partnership on
international mercury fate and transport research aims at further
understanding the global cycling dynamics of mercury, and to better target
efforts for reducing mercury’s health and environmental effects. In the
ensuing discussion, Doa answered participants questions noting, among
other: focus on short-term immediate reductions; that a coordinated global
approach is important and an effective way to reach it is through
partnerships; and the US involvement with South Africa to start product
and release inventories.
John Atherton,
International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), said
that heavy metals is a “meaningless name” without a sound base, noting ICMM’s preferred terminology of “metals of international
concern.” He highlighted privatization trends in the mining industry, said
that for ICCM financial assurance for mine closure and reclamation is an
industry responsibility. He stressed that environmental problems require
technical solutions culturally relevant and need integral approach
including all stakeholders.
Desiree Narvaez,
UNEP, commented on UNEP’s Mercury Programme and
lead and cadmium activities. She underscored that mercury is persistent
and cycles globally, stressing that significant numbers of humans and
wildlife are at risk worldwide, mainly due to consumption of contaminated
fish. Narvaez highlighted UNEP’s role in implementing
mercury partnerships and UNEP’s toolkit for mercury
inventory development. Following a question, Narvaez said determining an
acceptable threshold for mercury is a very complex task.
Jenny Pronczuk,
World Health Organization (WHO), described WHO’s programmes and activities on mercury, lead and
cadmium. She noted a growing body of evidence linking these (and other)
metals to adverse health effects, developmental problems and aging
processes. She highlighted increased concern about the special
susceptibility of the fetus and small children to lead, mercury and
cadmium. Pronczuk said WHO activities related to
lead, mercury and cadmium resulted in a network of experts and a
remarkable wealth of knowledge and experience.
Pablo Huidobro,
United Nations Industrial Development Organization
(UNIDO), underscored the Global Environment Facility-funded Global
Mercury Project. He compared artisanal gold mining production of 600-800
tones per year with global gold production of around 3,000 tones per year,
and stressed that artisanal gold mining is currently the second largest
anthropogenic emitter of mercury. Huidobro noted the importance of
education educating artisanal miners and its difficulties.
Brinda Wachs, UN Economic Commission for Europe, outlined the Protocol
on Heavy Metals to the Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air
Pollution. She noted the Protocol aims at controlling anthropogenic heavy
metals emissions that are likely to have significant adverse effects on
human health or the environment, including cadmium, lead and mercury.
WORKING GROUPS
During lunchtime
delegates met in three working groups to address seven questions: 1)
sources of exposure; 2) air and water transport; 3) trade related
dispersal; 4) other international dimensions that make it difficult for an
actor to act alone; 5) management strategies; 6) who are the major
stakeholders; 7) would international cooperation / coordination be
helpful/ necessary to address the challenge. Rapporteurs for each working
group reported back to plenary.
Cadmium Working Group: Rapporteur Jamidy Katima, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, underscored,
inter alia: on sources, zinc mines, tobacco smoking, batteries,
phosphate fertilizers, solar cells, combustion of fossil fuels, and
incense; on transport, knowledge gap, rivers and ocean currents, and
cetaceans; on trade, fertilizers, contaminated food, toys, and medicines;
on international dimensions, double standards on import/export rules,
international labeling, and international trade rules; on management
strategies, substitution, information sharing, risk communication, a
priority substance list, and how to manage already existing cadmium
problems. On international cooperation, some participants called for a
framework convention on heavy metals, while others believed that long
range transport is unclear, making binding instrument
unappropriate.
Lead Working Group: Rapporteur Christian Farrar-Hockley,
EPHA Environmental Network, underscored, inter
alia: on sources, gasoline; toys, combustion process, waste
management, boat building, batteries, and paint; on trade related
dispersal, automobiles, electronics, batteries, toys, and watercraft and
marine fuels; on international considerations, the existence of
non-uniform standards causing non-trade restrictions, and
non-implementation of WTO and other international
agreements; on management strategies, promoting the use of unleaded
gasoline in all sectors, developing international inventories of
contaminated sites, assessing health impact and related costs, developing
national policies on chemical safety, and carrying out research and
development activities for environmentally-friendly technology. Children
and women of child bearing age were identified as the most vulnerable
stakeholders.
Mercury Working Group: Rapporteur Henrik Eriksen, Ministry of the Environment, Norway, underscored,
inter alia: on sources, food, in particular fish, abandoned mines,
contaminated sites, artisinal gold mining, dental amalgam, and
thermometers and other medical devices; on international dimension,
difficulty to outlaw imports, transfer of outdated equipment, and the low
price of mercury; on management strategies, educational programmes on fish
consumption and gold mining; on international co-operation and
co-ordination, partnerships and existing instruments, and the need for
tracking trade. He noted different opinions on the need for a separate
legally binding instrument on mercury. Some advocated to pursue existing
options, including the Rotterdam Convention, SAICM, UNEP and
partnerships.
Discussion: Participants highlighted a number of
issues to be considered, including the need for: elaborating international
regulation for promoting public health and reducing the use of such
metals; including household waste as heavy metals sources and regulating
its management and disposal; promoting good practices globally; and
recognizing the impact of heavy metal disposal products from developed
countries in the developing world.
CLOSING SESSION
Franz Perrez,
Switzerland, summarized the event´s presentation, noting efforts on heavy
metals by international institutions and multiple national, regional and
local actors. He said the success and scope of these activities have mixed
results. Perrez underscored the serious risk imposed by heavy metals to
human health and environment, the specific challenges for developing
countries and countries with economies in transition, that unilateral
action may not be suffice and the global need for further action. He said
the first step to further the heavy metals process is to inform IFCS of this event´s discussions and to motivate IFCS participants to consider the issue.
In the ensuing
discussion, NIGERIA, NORWAY and DENMARK supported the need for global
action on heavy metals. The US, supported by CANADA, said that no
recommendations on global action can be made based on this brief event.
The US said intercontinental transport of cadmium is negligible in terms
of deposition and stressed national sources for action on lead. UNIDO suggested global action on gold. The MERCURY
POLICY PROJECTS noted that 98-99% of lead deposition in the arctic is
anthropogenic. The US said this event´s discussions are no substitute for
discussions taking place under UNEP, nor should prejudge
any decision by the UNEP Governing Council in
February.
NORWAY and EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL BUREAU supported establishing
binding commitments for sustainable continuation of action regarding
mercury. JAPAN noted that SAICM could cover the issue of life-cycle of chemicals. PERU stressed
children’s exposure to lead. IRAN suggested including nickel and arsenic
to the heavy metals’ list.
Georg Karlaganis, Switzerland, read the meeting’s report, asked for more contributions via
e-mail, and closed the event at 06:42
pm.
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