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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?
On 23 September
2006, the Swiss Confederation held an event entitled, “Health
and environmental concerns associated with heavy metals: global need for
further action?.” The event took place in the context of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical
Safety (IFCS Forum V), which is being held from 25-29 September 2006,
in Budapest, Hungary. The event was attended by over 200 participants,
representing numerous governments, agencies, intergovernmental
organizations and non-governmental organizations.
In the morning
and afternoon, participants heard case study presentations. Participants were divided into
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 the lunchtime discussions. This was followed
by further discussion among all participants.
The results of
the event will be forwarded to IFCS Forum V
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 indicated that the event
aimed 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 in response to
developing countries’ desire to include heavy metals on 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 that
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 of Hungary, outlined Hungarian
legislation regarding restrictions of mercury use in products. He
highlighted Hungary’s lighting industry compliance with mercury
regulations on compact and straight fluorescent lamps, and progressive
replacing of high intensity discharge lamps containing 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 primary
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 the
compilation of relevant information.
Answering
questions from participants, de Kom noted that mercury-free gold mining
techniques are more expensive, highlighted controls imposed 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 near 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 responses such as 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 resulted in large increases in
the amount of heavy metals 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 that could 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 the partnership’s
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 and transport research aims at further understanding
the dynamics of the global cycle of mercury, and at target efforts for
reducing mercury’s health and environmental effects better. Following his
speech, Doa answered participants questions, noting: a focus on short-term
immediate reductions; the importance of a coordinated global approach
achieved 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 basis, noting ICMM’s preferred terminology of “metals of international
concern.” He highlighted privatization trends in the mining industry, and
said that for ICCM financial assurance for mine closure and reclamation is
an industry responsibility. He stressed that environmental problems
require technical solutions that are also culturally relevant, as well as
an integrated approach that includes all stakeholders.
Desiree Narvaez,
UNEP, commented on UNEP’s Mercury Programme and
its 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
tonnes per year with global gold production of around 3,000 tonnes per
year, and stressed that artisanal gold mining is currently the second
largest anthropogenic emitter of mercury. Huidobro noted the importance of
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 explained that 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
Over the lunch
period, delegates met in three working groups to address seven
questions/issues: 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) the
major stakeholders; and 7) the value/need for international
cooperation/coordination to address the challenge. Following the lunch
period, rapporteurs for each working group reported back to
plenary.
Cadmium Working
Group: Jamidy Katima, University of Dar es
Salaam, acted as rapporteur for this group. Regarding sources of
exposure, he identified zinc mines, tobacco smoking, batteries, phosphate
fertilizers, solar cells, combustion of fossil fuels, and incense. On
transport, he drew attention to group discussions on the knowledge gap,
rivers and ocean currents, and cetaceans. On trade, he highlighted
fertilizers, contaminated food, toys, and medicines. Regarding the
international dimensions of the issue, he noted double standards on
import/export rules, international labeling, and international trade
rules. On management strategies, he referenced substitution, information
sharing, risk communication, a priority substance list, and how to manage
already existing cadmium problems. On international cooperation, he
reported on calls from some participants for a framework convention on
heavy metals, while noting that others had said that long range transport
is unclear, making binding instrument inappropriate.
Lead Working Group:
On the issue of sources, rapporteur Christian Farrar-Hockley,
EPHA Environmental Network, underscored, inter
alia: gasoline, toys, combustion process, waste management, boat
building, batteries, and paint. Regarding trade related dispersal, he
identified automobiles, electronics, batteries, toys, and watercraft and
marine fuels. On international considerations, he noted the existence of
non-uniform standards causing non-trade restrictions, and
non-implementation of WTO and other international
agreements. Regarding management strategies, he emphasized discussions on
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 explained that the group had identified various sources, including
food (particularly fish), abandoned mines, contaminated sites, artisanal
gold mining, dental amalgam, and thermometers and other medical devices.
On the international dimension, he noted discussions on the difficulty of
outlawing imports, transfer of outdated equipment, and the low price of
mercury. On management strategies, he noted educational programmes on fish
consumption and gold mining. Regarding international co-operation and
co-ordination, he highlighted discussions on partnerships and existing
instruments, and the need for tracking trade. He reported 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 for consideration, 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 presentations, noting efforts on heavy
metals by international institutions and multiple national, regional and
local actors. Perrez underscored the serious risk imposed by heavy metals
to human health and the environment, the specific challenges for
developing countries and countries with economies in transition, the fact
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 6:42
pm.
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