Minamata Convention on Mercury Marks Fifth Anniversary

It has been five years since the Minamata Convention on Mercury entered into force, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

In a statement by UNEP, it was noted that it has been five years since the Minamata Convention on Mercury took effect on the 16th of August, 2017.

It stated that the convention protects human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury.

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“Although the convention itself is young, it builds on a long history of scientific efforts to understand and manage the risk of mercury, a toxic substance. Mercury’s toxicity devastated the fishing villages in Minamata Bay, Japan, in the middle of the 20th century, and as a result, governments took action and adopted the convention in 2013, and it entered into force five years ago.’’

There are 137 parties to the agreement, which UNEP administers.

Among its provisions is the prohibition of new mercury mines and the phase-out of mercury-based products.

One of the countries which ratified the Minamata Convention on Mercury is Nigeria.