Mercury Pollution Rises Worldwide

The WHO classifies mercury as one of the top ten chemicals of major public health concern that has been daunting the international community for years. The figures confirm an alarming reality. In 2010, 1,960 metric tons of mercury were emitted globally.
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) warns that such contamination poses multiple risks to health and ecosystems on a global scale. For the next five years, the GEF made its mercury pollution strategy a priority.
Mercury, the only metal that’s liquid at room temperature, is a highly potent neurotoxin. Once released, emissions tend to disperse rapidly and globally, traveling long distances and causing widespread health problems and environmental damage. The metal doesn’t degrade and builds up in the food chain, as it is absorbed by flora and fauna.
http://www.thegef.org/gef/node/10512