Study: Mercury exposure a major environmental, health threat

Absence of quality alternatives, standardization and certification of products and high costs are some of the barriers to shifting from the use of mercury in healthcare instruments and dental amalgam, a recent study has concluded.

Bangladesh does not yet have any specific guidelines regarding the management of mercury release into the environment or how to safely manage the use of products and equipment that contain mercury, mercury compounds or other specific chemicals, it said.

Around 60 tonnes of mercury was imported in 2014 and it is estimated that more than 1100kg of the metal waste was generated and released into the environment through waste deposition, land filling and waste water treatment, the study said.

The study titled “Mercury added products: Country situation analysis in Bangladesh [Product inventory and emission source identification]” was conducted by the Environment and Social Development Organisation (Esdo) in association with UNEP.

It was conducted in Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi and their outskirts to find out mercury sources, products containing mercury and their hotspots.

Primary information was collected on the basis of purposive sampling of consumers from various sectors such as industries, energy, healthcare, electronics and electrical equipment, battery, cement, chemical, jewelry and beauty products. These surveys were conducted during January-May 2015.

The study found: Total import of mercury was 58,500kg or 58.5 tonnes in 2014. Mercury-containing instruments, mercury containing devices, etc are also imported in large quantities. Total import of thermometer was 6.39 million units and clinical measuring devices 0.41 million units.

It identified the industries sector (chlor-alkali, paper and pulp, cement production), healthcare sector (instruments, dental amalgam), energy sector, electronic sector (electronic device, batteries, CFLs), cosmetics and jewelry sectors as the major consumers.

Chlor-alkali plants can emit  up to 8.97 tonnes of mercury per year, the 33 cement factories in Bangladesh up to 0.56 tonnes, and paper and pulp mills up to 1.44 tonnes.

Bangladeshis use nearly 900,000 thermometers per year of which 37.8% or over 300,000 break and release mercury to the environment because they are not properly disposed. More than 275,000 sphygmomanometers also do the same thing after being broken due to improper disposal.

A person with amalgam dental fillings absorbs, on an average, between three and 17 micrograms of mercury vapour into their blood each day.

The study says Bangladesh will become a major mercury emitter in the near future by burning coal in power plants. Potential mercury emissions from the energy sector (coal, gas, oil refining, etc)  is estimated at over 3,000kg.

During 2012-14, more than 19.5 million compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), better known as energy saving bulbs, were manufactured in Bangladesh. The mercury release from these bulbs is 0.118 tonnes. The jewelry sector mercury release was estimated to be 4.1 tonnes.

The report said that most users are not aware of the importance of proper disposal of mercury waste or mercury containing compounds. There are also no systems for large-scale disposal of mercury in Bangladesh.

Dr. Shahriar Hossain, secretary general of Esdo, said: “Mercury tolerance limit is zero. In Bangladesh, the situation is very alarming. The data we have collected is associated with the legal import. But we the amount of import and emission from illegal import of mercury has not been documented. Based on the current level of mercury exposure, the entire food chain will be contaminated in near future.”

He also said: “This will not only affect environment but Bangladesh will face economical consequences as well.

“As per the Minamata Convention, mercury should have to be phased out by 2020. Bangladesh is a signatory of that convention. The Government should therefore immediately ratify the convention and take steps accordingly.

“If the government fails to phase out mercury by 2020, Bangladesh will be declared a mercury-exposed country. It will be economically disastrous for Bangladesh,” he warned.

Collected: http://www.dhakatribune.com

Posted by admin on Aug 16 2015. Filed under News at Now. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry