U.S. surplus mercury strategy welcomed prior to UN negotiations

Department of Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman cited recognition of health and environmental concerns as prime reasons why DOE "has no current plans to sell" their stockpile of over 1,200 metric tons of mercury.

Advocates applauded the Secretary's response to a November letter from Senator Barack Obama and expressed cautious optimism over news that the Bush Administration is drafting a new strategy to manage all surplus mercury in the U.S.

"We've got to stop the cycle of toxic trade in mercury which ultimately winds up polluting the fish we eat," said Michael Bender, director of the Mercury Policy Project and cofounder of the Zero Mercury Working Group, a global coalition of 48 NGOs working to reduce mercury pollution worldwide.

The December 18 document states that "... the U.S. Government's actions not to sell mercury on the open market sends a positive message to both private and state domestic mercury holders, as well as to global mercury policy makers...By committing to long-term storage of U.S. owned mercury, the U.S. Government can develop a position for the UNEP Governing Council meeting that: 1) Indicates that the U.S. has committed to storing 70% of its stocks, and 2) the U.S. Government has in place a stakeholder process that will develop options for management of its remaining nonfederal stocks of mercury."

"This is welcome news as diplomats are preparing to discuss global mercury issues -- including supply, demand, small scale gold mining and trade in mercury -- at the UN Governing Council meeting in Nairobi next month," said Bender. "With Europe ready to adopt a mercury export ban and close the world's largest mine by 2011, it appears that a growing number of countries -- including the U.S. -- now recognize the threat posed by continuing mercury exports."

Most exports are sent to developing countries where gold miners are exposed to high levels of mercury, according to UN reports. Once released into the air, mercury is subject to long-range intercontinental transport and indiscriminately pollutes fish and people that eat fish the world over. Exposure to mercury can lead to neurological diseases and such developmental problems as learning disabilities, attention deficit disorders and mental retardation. Elevated mercury levels in adults can adversely affect fertility, blood pressure, and may contribute to heart disease.