Amid growing mercury imports, environmental group calls Ban mercury imports, ratify mercury treaty!

By Angelica Pago

(63) 915-9260371/angelica@bantoxics.org

KUMAMOTO, JAPAN (October 8, 2013) -  As more than 140 countries convene near the small town of Minamata, Japan, in the next few days to adopt a new legally binding treaty on mercury, environmental justice group BAN Toxics! (BT) calls on the Philippine government to ban mercury imports into the country.  Citing data from a new study it is releasing in Japan, “Mercury Trade in the Philippines:  An Investigative Research on Mercury Flows in the Philippines”, the group is concerned that if the volume of mercury trade remains unabated, the Philippines will end up with major mercury pollution a thousand times more serious than the mercury spill that recently happened in Fabella hospital.

Culling data from the United Nations Statistical Division-Commercial Trade (COMTRADE), a global database on the volume, origin and destination of traded commodities, the report reveals that the Philippines imported over 295 tons of mercury from 2000-2011.  According to the report, the mercury originated from countries such as Japan, Germany, Spain, and Hong Kong/China.

“The critical question is where did the 295 tons of mercury end up,” explains Atty. Richard Gutierrez, Executive Director of BAN Toxics. “Based on our findings the excess mercury usually finds its way to small-scale gold mining operations in the countryside, where it is ending up in the environment.
http://frontlinemindanaobalita.blogspot.com/2013/10/amid-growing-mercury-imports.html?view=magazine

Mercury is a globally recognized persistent and bioaccumulative toxin that has significant negative effects on human health and the environment.[1]  The concern over its high toxicity and ability to transport itself in air, among others, has pushed the world governments to limit mercury mining and phase out specific uses of mercury.

The last mercury mine in the Philippines was in Palawan, and it closed in the late 80’s.  With the closure of the mine, all mercury in the Philippines comes into the country via trade, both legal and illegal.

“With mercury export bans in the US and Europe already in place, Southeast Asia has emerged as a major mercury trading hub in the world,” explains David Lennett, Senior Attorney for the US-based group Natural Resources Defense Council.  “Singapore and Hong Kong have become large global mercury suppliers.”

Another significant finding the study showed is the import of dental amalgam, an alloy with a mixture of mercury (50%), silver (~22-32%), tin (~14%), copper (~8%) and other trace metals.  According to the study, approximately 65 tons of inorganic and organic compounds of precious metals, whether or not chemically defined, including dental amalgam was imported into the Philippines from 2007 to 2011. Based on field research, the study also revealed that dental clinics, especially in areas with high ASGM activities, often play the role of mercury trader and gold buyer for the miners.

“The significant volume of amalgam coming into the country could only mean two things: there is a lot of Filipinos with dental caries   or these are ending up in places like small-scale gold mining,” asserted Dr. Lillian Lasaten-Ebuen, President of the International Association of Oral Medicine and Toxicology Philippines (IAOMT Philippines). “If dental caries is rampant in the Philippines, the Department of Health and Philippine Dental Association should focus on prevention of dental caries by promoting proper oral hygiene, use of mercury free dental restorative materials, and phase-out the dental amalgam use in all dental healthcare facilities.”

The study also identified a loophole in the current legal framework on mercury in the country.  DENR Chemical Control Order 97-38, otherwise known as the Chemical Control Order (CCO) for mercury and mercury compounds, provides for strict requirements and procedures in the importation, manufacture, distribution and use of mercury and mercury compounds in the country. However, the CCO identifies certain industries as exempt.  A quick perusal of the list of exempted industries showed that several are major users of mercury, such as: chlor-alkali plants, mining and metallurgical industries, and dental amalgam.

“Not only does the country’s regulation currently allow major mercury emitters to bring in mercury, foreign governments are also exporting their mercury to countries such as the Philippines,” explains Gutierrez. 

According to the study in 2010, at least 30 tons of mercury came from various international sources such as Japan, USA, Netherlands, Spain, Germany and Australia.  In a period of 11 years, over 295 tons of mercury was declared to have entered into the Philippines. 

“There’s a limit to the data we have gathered; we can only trace legally declared mercury,” stated Gutierrez.  “We are seeing as well the presence of illegal trading, mostly undeclared and disguised mercury coming into the Philippines, which adds to the overall mercury burden of the country.”

To address the burgeoning mercury imports and loopholes, BAN Toxics calls on the government to take the following steps:

1. Amend CCO 97-38 by removing major mercury users such as mining and dental amalgams from the exempted list;

2. Ratify the Minamata Convention on Mercury; 

3. Synchronize existing laws and regulations particularly CCO 97-38, with the requirements of the Minamata Convention on the phase out of mercury in products, use and trade; and

4. Since Asian countries such as Japan, Hong Kong/China, Singapore, etc. are a source of mercury, the Philippines should call upon the Asian region to develop a coordinated approach to preventing unwanted mercury trade by creating a Task Force for this purpose, and requesting all Asian exporting nations to enact a domestic export ban as soon as possible. http://frontlinemindanaobalita.blogspot.com/2013/10/amid-growing-mercury-imports.html?view=magazine

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[1] Minamata Convention