The Republic of Moldova remains committed to the effort to implement the Minamata Convention on Mercury so as to protect the human health and the environment by reducing the risks associated with mercury and by strengthening the institutional capacities in the country and the region, the Ministry of Environment stated on the 10th anniversary of the signing of the document, IPN reports.

Ten years ago, on October 10, 2013, the international community took a key step forward by signing the Minamata Convention on Mercury. This multilateral environmental agreement, named after the bay in Japan where mercury-tainted industrial wastewater poisoned thousands of people in the mid-20th century, later came into force in 2017.

The Republic of Moldova ratified the Convention in 2017. Its goal is to protect human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds. It bans the import and export of a series of mercury-containing products, including mercury-containing lamps and non-electrical equipment. Moldova subscribed to these provisions and since January 1, 2021 has prohibited the import, sale and export of such products.

Simultaneously, Moldova benefitted from technical assistance through the SIP UNEP project “Support to post-ratification of the Minamata Convention to the Republic of Moldova by building phase down capacities and reducing risks associated with mercury”, whose objective is to promote adoption of a nationally consistent approach to phase down use of mercury containing products. In order to achieve this goal, the project focuses on activities such as developing measures and a regulatory framework, knowledge and technical capacity building for environmentally sound interim storage of mercury, and conducting awareness raising activities.

The Ministry of Environment said Moldova’s efforts to implement the Minamata Convention will continue as the obligations undertaken by the Convention imply a constant commitment to take concrete measures to reduce the sources of pollution with mercury, including by improving the legislation on the management of chemical waste for developing hazardous waste management infrastructure.