To be known as “The Minamata Convention on Mercury”

Mercury is used in a variety of products and processes, and can have devastating effects on human health and the environment. Due to its hardy nature as an element, it is virtually impossible to destroy, and can travel swiftly between countries through primary use, products, waste, emissions to air, and releases to land or water.

An International Negotiating Committee on anthropogenic (man-made) uses of the element mercury concluded a negotiated text for a globally binding instrument in January 2013.

The Convention targets a number of aspects of the mercury life-cycle, including:  - Primary mining of, and trade in, mercury and mercury compounds;  - Trade in mercury-added products (such as some batteries and light-bulbs);  - Manufacturing processes in which mercury or mercury compounds are used;  - Emissions of mercury to air, and releases to land and water;  - Environmentally sound storage of mercury;  - Transboundary movement in mercury waste, mercury-contaminated or mercury-containing wastes;  - Mercury contaminated sites;  - Increasing knowledge through awareness raising and information exchange;  - Specifying arrangements for capacity building; and  - Addressing implementation and compliance recognising that the ability of some countries to implement their obligations is dependent on developing capacity.