Over half of the world’s mercury emissions are generated by coal-fired power plants. The toxic heavy metal is also released by gold mines, cement plants, incinerators, and the PVC industry. And it’s used in a variety of medical and household products.
Mercury can travel long distances in the air. When it enters wetlands, it’s converted to a particularly toxic form of mercury that is stored in the fat. Larger, older fish carry the heaviest burdens. And when the fish are eaten by pregnant women, their infants are at risk of birth defects.
With all this in mind, it was welcome news to hear that at the most recent United Nations talks in Geneva, more than 140 nations agreed on the first legally-binding global treaty to reign in mercury pollution.
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