Resources

The Minamata Convention bans the use of mercury in cosmetics, including skin-lightening products. Although manufacture, import and export of mercury-containing cosmetics is prohibited, Parties face challenges in addressing informal manufacturing and sales.

Explore Insights, Resources and Intersessional Work gathered in the Minamata Convention on Mercury Topic: Mercury in cosmetics

The Minamata Convention on Mercury recognizes the interconnections between mercury pollution and biodiversity loss and underscores the need for coordinated action to protect ecosystems and human health.

The Minamata Convention on Mercury requires parties to phase down the use of dental fillings containing mercury, called dental amalgam. It restricts its use in vulnerable populations, including children and pregnant women.

Explore Insights, Resources and Intersessional Work gathered in the Minamata Convention on Mercury Topic: Dental amalgam.

The Minamata Convention on Mercury prohibits the manufacture, import, and export of listed mercury-added products, including batteries, switches, certain lamps, cosmetics and measuring devices, with limited exemptions. It also requires Parties to phase down the use of dental amalgam.

The Minamata Convention on Mercury requires Parties to control and reduce mercury emissions to air from point sources such as coal-fired power plants, industrial boilers, and certain metal production facilities. It requires the use of best available techniques and environmental practices to control mercury emissions.

The Minamata Convention on Mercury requires Parties to manage mercury waste in an environmentally sound manner, taking into account the technical guidelines for waste management. It also restricts the recovery of mercury and transport of mercury waste across international boundaries.

These infographics have been designed for the project “Eliminating Mercury Skin Lightening Products”.There is an English and a French version.

As the world observes the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on 21 March 2025, the United Nations Environment Programme, the Secretariat of the Minamata Convention and the Secretariat of the Global Mercury Partnership, are releasing a set of messages for public use and engagement that highlight the urgent need to stop the production and use of skin-l

Ces publications pour les réseaux sociaux sont conçues pour partager la campagne #MercuryFreeCosmetics, en particulier pour la Journée internationale pour l'élimination de la discrimination raciale le 21 mars.

These social media posts are designed to share #MercuryFreeCosmetics campaign, especially for the International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination on 21 March.

The Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health and Department of Pollution Control, Ministry of Environment have initiated a project to minimize the use of dental amalgam and enhance Thailand's capacity for environmentally management under the Minamata Convention on Mercury.

From January 20 to 22, 2025, Libreville hosted a landmark regional workshop, bringing together 15 African nations to develop a unified strategy to eliminate harmful skin-lightening products containing mercury and other hazardous substances. 

[ EN / FR ]

Engagement de Libreville sur l'élimination en Afrique des produits cosmétiques éclaircissants pour la peau contenant du mercure.

This first edition of 2025 offers an overview of the recent advances in global action towards a mercury-free society, including activities planned for the coming months. 

Published monthly, the Minamata Convention Updates provides the latest updates on work to protect human health and environment from the harmful effects of mercury.

The Zero Mercury Working Group Newsletter is published monthly since November 2019.

Biodiversity Research Institute assessments of emerging threats to wildlife and ecosystems include mercury work. Their newsletter is available for reading.

This document highlights the importance of developing well designed, scientifically valid and clearly communicated mercury monitoring plans that can generate robust and reliable data. The data can be used to improve our understanding of the dynamic of mercury around artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sites and be used to generate prediction scenarios.

Presentations made at the webinar on Managing mercury waste from dental amalgam and medical measuring devices, organised by UNEP on 9 December 2024.

[ French ] Plateau Spécial sur l'Atelier Régional qui s'est tenue à Libreville du 20 au 22 janvier 2025. Interview du Ministre de la santé, de plusieurs experts et de Miss Ebène.

This educational video was created by youth leaders involved in Beautywell’s Young Women’s Wellness and Leadership Initiative, the Youth Advisory Board, and young women leading community initiatives. The video's purpose is to mobilize youth and raise awareness about colorism, skin-lightening practices, and chemical exposures within the youth population.

Dental amalgam has been used as a restorative material to address dental caries and is one of the  contributors to mercury consumption across the globe. The Minamata Convention on Mercury is a global treaty that aims to protect human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds.

In the context of Sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity taking place next week in Cali, Colombia from 21 October to 1 November 2024, we would like to highlight how global community is advancing the agenda to reduce and eliminate mercury and associated impacts on biodiversity.

Through this edition, find out more about latest international conferences, workshops and webinars, including partnership areas meetings, as well as the recent planetGOLD Global Forum, as well as the sixteenth International Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant (ICMGP-16). We are also pleased to share new resources published and invite you to learn more about our new members.

Campaign on Health Risks of Toxic Skin Lighteners