On 18 May, the number of UN member states to have ratified the Minamata Convention on mercury surpassed 50.

This means the Convention enters into force in August and signals a major boost to human health and the environment against the adverse effects of the heavy metal.

The Convention bans new mercury mines and phases out existing mines and uses of the substance in products and processes, controls mercury storage and more. UN Environment hosts its interim Secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland.

Minamata is the name of the town on the southern island of Kyushu in Japan where a local chemicals company had in the 1950s been dumping wastewater containing mercury into the sea, causing people to suffer from fever, slurred speech, convulsions and other symptoms.

The international treaty named after the Japanese town has been gathering ratifications since 2013 towards reducing mercury pollution. The Convention will now enter into force on 16 August 2017.

The First Conference of the Parties of the treaty is confirmed to take place from Sunday, 24 September to Friday, 29 September 2017 in Geneva. The High Level Segment will convene under the slogan ‘Making Mercury History!’.

For more information click here or write to claudia.tenhave@unenvironment.org