Photo: Redjar/Flickr
Even as delegates from more than 130 countries negotiated what could become the world's first legally binding international treaty on mercury emissions, two new reports show how bad the problem has become.
First, a study by Biodiversity Research Institute and the International POPs Elimination Network (IPEN) found that 84 percent of the world's fish contain unsafe levels of mercury. (The "POPs" in PEN's name refers to "persistent organic pollutants.")
The report by the organizations found that fish samples from around the world "regularly demonstrate mercury concentrations exceeding U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) human health advisory guidelines." According to the report, many fish in nine countries, including the U.S., contained so much mercury that eating fish more than once a month would exceed safe consumption levels.
The report linked mercury in the environment to man-made pollutants, including "chlor-alkali facilities, contaminated sites, coal-fired power plants, artisanal small-scale gold mining, mixed-use chemical industry sites, and other sources."
The second report came from the United National Environment Programme (UNEP), which found that mercury emissions are rising worldwide, especially in developing countries. "Mercury, which exists in various forms, remains a major global, regional and national challenge in terms of threats to human health and the environment," United Nations Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner said in a news release. "Mercury has been known as a toxin and a hazard for centuries — but today we have many of the alternative technologies and processes needed to reduce the risks for tens of millions of people, including pregnant mothers and their babies."
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