Issue
Mercury waste is generated from different sources as mercury is used in several types of products and processes, and is also contained in minerals such as coal. The phase-out of mercury in products and processes along with strict controls on mercury emissions and releases in response to the Minamata Convention is concerned about the increase of mercury wastes generation that require environmentally sound management (ESM).
According to Minamata Initial Assessment reports, many developing countries recognize that the management of mercury waste is one of the most prominent challenges to be prioritized for action. Considering that waste management covers many phases (source separation, collection, transportation, storage and disposal) and that each country has different technological and socio-economic circumstances and conditions, cooperation and collaboration with various stakeholders is an integral element to ensure the ESM of mercury wastes.
Objective
The objective of the Partnership Area is to promote the environmentally sound management of mercury wastes by developing and disseminating relevant materials, enhancing capacities and awareness and providing specific solutions at the global, regional, national, and local levels.
Strategy
The Partnership Area has identified the following priority actions to meet its objective:
- Identify and disseminate measures to prevent the generation of and promote environmentally sound source separation, storage, collection, transportation, treatment and disposal techniques and practices for different kinds of mercury wastes, taking into account the variety of technological and socio-economic circumstances in different countries;
- Build capacities and improve awareness for the environmentally sound management of mercury wastes on the ground in collaboration with other Partnership areas and organizations at the global, regional, national, and local levels;
- Identify specific challenges in mercury wastes management for different sectors and stakeholders and provide corresponding supports and/or solutions to address them;
- Support the implementation of national projects for the environmentally sound management of mercury wastes and share the experiences and lessons learned to promote mutual learning; and
- Other activities upon the request of international programmes and organizations, as appropriate.
Contribution to the implementation of the Minamata Convention
Article 11, paragraph 5 of the Minamata Convention encourages Parties to cooperate with relevant intergovernmental organizations and other entities to develop and maintain global, regional and national capacity for the management of mercury wastes in an environmentally sound manner.
As identified in priority actions, capacity-building is one of the core activities that the Partnership area has been undertaking where Parties (and non-Parties) to the Minamata Convention can leverage in enhancing the capacity at different levels. The Partnership area can contribute to capacity-building by identifying specific challenges on the ground and providing corresponding supports and/or solutions using the best available tools, knowledge and experiences.
Featured activities
- Catalogue of Technologies and Services on Mercury Waste Management This tool contains a series of information on mercury waste treatment technologies, equipment and services owned by Partners. The Catalogue serves as a quick reference tool for readers to identify relevant solution providers, taking into account their specific circumstances. The Catalogue includes industries and organisations’ profile with the technologies and services they can offer, and has been updated on an annual basis.
- Questionnaire survey to identify the needs for technologies and services in mercury waste management: This survey was conducted from January to February 2021 to identify (a) stakeholders who have challenges in mercury waste management, (b) specific types or management phases which require enhanced actions and (c) information and services that the Partnership area could potentially provide.
- Waste Management Area Activity Plan (2022-2024) The Partnership area developed an Activity Plan that sets out its prospective activities from 2022 to 2024, taking into account past activities and results of the questionnaire survey mentioned above.
- Establishment of working groups: In light of the Activity Plan, the Partnership area established three working groups with dedicated topics and respective work plans were developed by members of the group for the implementation (WG1: Resource development, WG2: Capacity-building and awareness-raising, WG3: Solution exchange) and respective work plans were developed by members of the group for the implementation.
Future planned activities
Key future planned activities include:
- Development of
- A list and mapping of mercury waste treatment facilities;
- Factsheets on the management of specific types of mercury wastes; and
- Other training materials (led by WG1).
- Organization of webinars in cooperation with other Partnership areas and workshop for specific sectors and stakeholders (led by WG2).
- Formulation and operationalization of a solution exchange platform including its pilot phases to facilitate match-making between stakeholders in need and solution providers for the management of mercury wastes (led by WG3).
Collaboration with other partnership areas and relevant entities
The Partnership area has collaborated with other partnership areas and relevant entities on information sharing, joint activities and projects.
For example, the Partnership area has organized several events in collaboration with other areas including:
- "Mercury wastes - latest developments, tools and practices for their environmentally sound management” with Mercury Supply and Storage area and the Secretariat of the Minamata Convention (9 June 2022); and
- “Phasing out mercury-added lamps” with Mercury in Products area (7 December 2021).
- The Partnership area has also conducted a joint mission with the Mercury Cell Chlor-Alkali Production Partnership Area, in March 2018, in Uruguay, to identify the needs and challenges faced by the chlor-alkali producer and the Uruguayan government, both in the financing of the conversion process, and in addressing the management and disposal of mercury wastes.
More on mercury waste management
Resource Persons List
Call for nominations to create a resource persons list for the Waste Management Area - Invitation letter and Registration form
Resource Persons List (as of April 2017)
