Sources and releases of total mercury in the aquatic environment. An update on recent UNEP working group activities

The United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) recognizes mercury as a global chemical of concern and has been working since 2003 to address mercury issues. This has included negotiations amongst member countries to develop a legally binding agreement on mercury by 2013 and the establishment of the Global Mercury Partnership to reduce anthropogenic mercury releases to air, water and land from activities such as artisanal mining, coal combustion and chloro-alkali production. To support these efforts, new estimates of mercury releases from different sources are being complied. It is thought that 2,900Mg yr-1 are emitted into the environment from anthropogenic sources, coupled with an additional input of 5,207Mg yr-1 from natural sources. This poster will provide an update on the progress of this work and highlight areas where reliable data is lacking and further research needed