UNEP warns of the harmful effects of mercury on the environment

On January 10, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) issued a report expressing concern over the fact that mercury is being exploited and used more and more in the world, causing very bad impacts. living environment, first of all human health.

UNEP said that in recent years, a number of countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America have increased their gold mining activity because the price of this metal in the world is continuously increasing, as well as the production of thermoelectricity. and therefore, has released huge amounts of mercury into the environment.

In addition, the production of cement, electric transformer manufacturing, light bulbs, tanning . is also developing strongly in most areas, and like the two above industries, these are the industries that must be used. Mercury in production, thus contributing to increasing the amount of this extremely toxic substance in the air, adversely affecting the environment, causing people with common and uncommon incurable diseases.

Cement Production

According to UNEP, Asia's rapid economic growth has boosted the growth of mercury-intensive industries in production, making the continent the largest source of mercury emissions. , accounting for nearly 50% of the world's toxic emissions. And that fact needs to be taken into account by policymakers and industrial manufacturers of the continent to protect human health.

UNEP stated, it is very worrying that more and more mercury and rivers are always the main source of water for people.

According to the organization's data, there are about 260 tons of mercury and water in rivers and lakes around the world, and also, due to human activity, the amount of mercury has increased over the past 100 years. twice on the surface of the oceans, while at the bottom of the oceans, the amount of mercury also increased by 25%, so that humans themselves were the first objects to suffer from that situation, but one of the causes This consequence is the use of marine fish contaminated with mercury.

Also according to UNEP, although there are now technologies to reduce the impact of mercury on human health, especially for pregnant women and children, but limiting the exploitation and use of mercury It is still an urgent requirement for all countries, both developed, underdeveloped and underdeveloped, to protect human health, to prevent human diseases that cannot be cured by mercury.

Known after the decision in the UNEP Executive Council meeting in Nairobi (Kenya) in 2009 on reducing the amount of mercury released into the environment, the organization is preparing a more detailed report on the harmful effects of mercury. and a number of other metals to submit to the International Conference on Mercury's Effects on Habitat, will be held in Geneva, Switzerland in the middle of this month.