Global Legally Binding Treaty on Mercury Expected by 2013
SafeMinds has an extraordinary opportunity to fight for an end to mercury in vaccines on the world stage. Over 130 world governments just participated in the first session of the United Nations Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC1) to prepare a Global Legally Binding Instrument on Mercury from June 7-11, 2010 in Stockholm. SafeMinds sent a formal statement asking that all forms of mercury from all human activities and consumer products be considered when assessing environmental and human exposure, including vaccines. A total of five sessions to negotiate controls on mercury are scheduled over the next three years, and we hope to attend the next session as the strong voice for alternatives to mercury in vaccines. Mercury exposure can affect fetal neurological development and has been linked to lowered fertility, brain and nerve damage and heart disease in adults who have high levels of mercury in their blood. Given the severity of global mercury poisoning, its permanent impact, and its climbing prevalence, we believe it’s negligent to continue to expose pregnant and nursing mothers and infant children to any amount of avoidable mercury.
Highlights from first session negotiations:
- World Health Organization (WHO) representative, Carolyn Vickers, said the WHO recommends the phase-out of mercury thermometers and mercury blood pressure measuring devices. She added for dental amalgam, a Global Phase Down/Preventive Approach is being explored through the Global Mercury Partnership, and potential alternatives to mercury in dentistry are promising.
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it will re-evaluate the risks of mercury in dental amalgams. Consumers for Dental Choice advocated for the discontinuation of mercury in dentistry. The FDA said June 10th that an advisory panel would hold hearings in December, 2010 focusing specifically "on the potential risk to vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women, fetuses and young children."
- Health care groups including HCWH, International Council of Nurses, the World Federation of Public Health Associations, and Doctors for the Environment spoke to support the phase-out of mercury-related activities and products, and for fostering alternatives to mercury. The health sector’s platform for INC1 may be downloaded here.
- Mercury was tested and detected in the hair of UN treaty delegates. Tests found mercury in all hair samples. More than a third exceeded the US National Research Council mercury reference dose set for pregnant women to avoid adverse fetal brain development effects. View the full report here.
Why are world governments gathering to discuss mercury?
The amount of mercury circulating in the world’s air, soils, lakes, streams and oceans has increased by a factor of between two and four since the start of the industrial era. While some comes from natural sources, at least two-thirds of the mercury that enters the global environment comes from human activities such as industrial and manufacturing processes, mining, deforestation, waste incineration and burning of fossil fuels. Mercury can also be released from a number of consumer products manufactured with and still containing the neurotoxin, including electrical switches and fluorescent lamps, dental amalgam, vaccinations, laboratory and medical instruments, antiseptic, antibacterial, and skin-lightening creams, batteries, and seed dressings.
What’s the plan?
Over 130 governments plan to meet for a total of five sessions over the next three years to address global controls on mercury including issues surrounding cost, supply, demand, trade, waste and storage. SafeMinds plans to participate fully in developing the text of the treaty at the next INC meeting in Tokyo, January 2011. So we can be as effective as possible, our goal is to raise $15,000 toward this project. Please make a donation to help SafeMinds give all consumers and parents a strong voice against mercury in vaccines.