Introduction
Mercury is one of the most hazardous environmental toxins and constitutes a threat to both the environment and human health. It is a volatile metal that can be airborne over long distances. It cannot be degraded but accumulates in soil, water and living organisms. Therefore, it is therefore essential that the use and emission of mercury are reduced.
Most mercury emissions and associated exposure risks result from anthropogenic activities such as primary mercury mining and processing, the use of mercury in products and industrial processes, artisanal and small-scale gold mining and processing, coal combustion and the management of mercury waste.
The EU attempts to reduce the risk of humans and environment being exposed to mercury, much in line with the international Minamata Convention on Mercury which restricts and prohibits mercury in both products and industrial processes as of 2020. The Convention was signed in 2013 and came into force in August 2017.