Mercury wastes

Summary:

The main focus of the webinar was the intersessional work on mercury waste in preparation for Minamata Convention COP-7 in September 2027. Parties are to submit information related to the mercury waste thresholds by 6 March 2027, including proposals to update the list of mercury wastes, different approaches to defining waste contaminated with mercury, and challenges and experiences associated with the use of mercury waste thresholds. The Secretariat will also follow up with Parties that have reported on facilities for the final disposal of waste consisting of mercury or mercury compounds.

The Basel Convention COP in May 2027 will review the draft updates to the technical guidelines for the environmentally sound management of mercury waste, and discuss how to address the illegal traffic of waste. The Global Mercury Partnership will continue its capacity-building activities, including thematic webinars and an online consultation desk for stakeholders facing challenges related to mercury waste. WHO presented initiatives to phase out mercury-containing medical devices to improve healthcare waste management.

Programme:

• Eisaku Toda (Secretariat of the Minamata Convention on Mercury)
  Intersessional work on mercury waste, mercury waste thresholds and information from national reporting
• Agustin Harte (Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions)
  Updates on mercury waste under the Basel Convention
• Kishor Parajuli (TBC, Global Mercury Partnership)
  Updates on Global Mercury Partnership Waste Management Area
• Elena Jardan and Margaret Montgomery (World Health Organization)
  From phase-out to safe disposal: managing mercury waste in health-care settings
• Q&A, discussion.

Resources:

• Full presentations
• Video recording below