At #MinamataCOP4, discussion took place about mercury-added products, and you’d be shocked to know just how prevalent this is.

Let’s start with lights. Mercury has been used in lightbulbs for a long time, most recently in compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). CFLs are widely used because they are energy efficient and have a long life span. They only contain a small amount of mercury but this is still toxic, and special precautions have to be made if lamps get broken or need to be disposed of.

Then there are cosmetics. Mercury in cosmetics exists in two forms: inorganic mercury, used in skin lightening creams and soaps, and organic mercury compounds, used in eye makeup (including mascara) and make-up cleaning products. These forms of mercury differ in their degree of toxicity and have varying effects on human health, but the issue is a big one. The skin lightening industry is one of the fastest growing beauty industries worldwide with an estimated worth of $31.2 billion by 2024. In India, the industry accounts for 50% of the skincare market, with similar trends in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The Convention limits mercury use to 1ppm, and while many countries have banned it, the over-saturated skincare market makes it difficult to fully monitor. Do yourself a favour – check the ingredients list of the product you’re buying and make sure you’re not inadvertently poisoning yourself.

And then there is dentistry. Dental amalgam is most commonly used as a filler for cavities and contains liquid mercury, among other metals. When amalgam fillings are placed in or removed from teeth, they can release a small amount of mercury vapour - sometimes even when chewing. People can absorb these vapours, leading to health concerns. It’s a controversial issue in the dentistry world but also an important one, which is why many dentists advocate for it to be banned globally.

Scary, right? There’s so much we don’t know about, so much we need to learn, and so many better decisions we need to make. For more info on today: https://enb.iisd.org/Minamata-Convention-Mercury-COP4-2/23Mar22

#MakeMercuryHistory #mercury #CFLs #skincare #dentistry #onassignment #stories #livingfiercely