Resources

Research on skin whitening products carried out under component III of the UNEP project "Development of Minamata Initial Assessment (MIA)" in Pakistan. This report covers all the details of research work, undertaken on local as well as international brands of Skin Whitening Creams (SWCs) collected from the markets at main cities of Pakistan.

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This report, Mercury in the Global Environment, presents data on mercury concentrations in biota of concern in Article 19 of the Minamata Convention (i.e., marine and freshwater fish, sea turtles, birds and marine mammals), which are extracted from the GBMS database. Mercury concentrations from key biota are presented and compared geographically and taxonomically through Case Studies.

This document outlines proposed revised customs codes for better data and better implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury

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This guidance document has been developed as part of a WHO technical series on ASGM and health and specifically addresses how and where health considerations should be considered in the context of National Action Planning (NAP) processes related to ASGM, in particular as required under the Minamata Convention on Mercury.

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***Update 2022***

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Development of National Action Plans (NAPs) for Artisanal and Small Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) is an obligation under Article 7 of the Minamata Convention on Mercury for each country that determines that ASGM in its territory is more than insignificant.

Mercury in dental amalgam is a hidden source of global mercury pollution, resulting from the illegal diversion of dental mercury into the artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector, to crematoria emissions from the deceased and sewage sludge that is sold to farmers.

Morgane Fritz, James McQuilken, Nina Collins, Fitsum Weldegiorgis

IIED, IISD, IGF, January 2018

This visualization shows estimates of anthropogenic mercury emissions by country, region, and industry sector. Data are for year 2010 from the 2013 UNEP Global Mercury Assessment.

The bar graph shows the distribution of emissions by sector. The diagram on the lower right shows country and regional proportions of total emissions.

Xiaoxue Weng, Lila Buckley, Emma Blackmore, Bill Vorley, George Schoneveld, Paolo O. Cerutti, Davison Gumbo, Kaala B. Moombe, Stephen Kabwe, Jaqueline Muzenda, Kingstone Mujeyi, Maisory Chacha, Maria Njau, Jesper Jønsson 

IIED, June 2018

Fitsum Weldegiorgis, Lynda Lawson, Hannelore Verbrugge

IIED, IISD, IGF 2018

Recent tests in the U.S. state of Minnesota show that some skin lightening products have dangerous levels of mercury. Being exposed to the mercury in these products could cause serious health problems. This factsheet provides basic information for the general public. More information available here.

The UNEP Global Mercury Partnership is acting now on the substantive areas of the Minamata Convention on Mercury. This brochure illustrates key issues and how they are being addressed by partners of the UNEP Global Mercury Partnership.

Read the e-Book

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Alianza por la Minería Responsable 

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This interactive guide synthesizes and connects existing information on mercury-free practices in the ASGM sector through simple graphs, videos and illustrative success stories.

This study aims to conduct an inventory of mercury emissions from selected coal-fired power plants in Thailand.

The use of skin fairness products that frequently contain toxic ingredients is associated with significant adverse health side effects. Due to the high prevalence of use in Asian and African countries, skin fairness product use is recognized as a growing public health concern.

Collecting field data is often necessary to prepare the national Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) sector overview. The United Nations Institute for Training and Research(UNITAR) has developed a mobile data collection tool to accompany the two methodologies developed by the Artisanal Gold Council (baseline estimates) and UNITAR (socio-economic research methodology).

 Dr Maria Laura Barreto, Patrick Schein, Dr Jennifer Hinton, Felix Hruschka, January 2018

Willison Mutagwaba, John Bosco Tindyebwa, Veronica Makanta,, Delphinus Kaballega and Graham Maeda

IIED, January 2018

This handbook is the result of a training workshop for staff from the geological survey authorities, the regulatory agencies and the universities involved in the ASM sector to strengthen their capacity to better assist the country's ASM operators. It is intended to serve as a reference for the future involvement of the geological survey authority's staff in the country's ASM sector.