Mercury thermometers, low-consumption lamps, fluorescent tubes, and other elements containing this heavy metal cannot be manufactured, imported or exported in the country from January 1, 2020.
This is established by the 75 resolution published in the Official Gazette this Friday (15.2.2019) which displays the Minimata Convention, an international agreement to protect human health and the environment from emissions of mercury and its compounds that Argentina ratified in 2017.
"Both this resolution and the 71/2019 resolution published a few weeks ago are of fundamental importance in our country's commitment to this treaty, because it implies a specific regulation in relation to products containing mercury," Ana Corallo, coordinator of the Project for the implementation of the Minimata Convention in Argentina, explained to Telam.
About the Minamata Convention
The Minamata Convention is named after a town in Japan where mercury-contaminated industrial wastewater poisoned local families in the late 1950s. Victims suffered crippling, intractable and stigmatizing effects.
Through the Minamata Convention on Mercury, the international community remembers the lives lost to mercury poisoning and commits to preventing similar catastrophes.
List of products containing mercury
- Mercury thermostats in ovens, water heaters (thermos tanks), boilers and pool heaters
- Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and a wide range of electronic equipment, including computers, flat panel televisions, cameras, camcorders, cash registers, digital projectors, photocopiers, fax machines, and parts of automobile systems.
- Lamps.
- Fluorescent tubes, compact fluorescent lamps, high pressure sodium vapor lamps, mercury vapor lamps, metal halide (MH) lamps, mixed light lamps.
- Batteries and batteries
- Household thermometers, barometers and manometers
- Biocidal products
- Preservatives for vaccines, eye drops, creams and lightening soaps
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