UN finds rising mercury emissions poses health threat, need for global accord

The report says parts of Africa, Asia and South America could see increasing emissions of mercury into the environment mainly due to small-scale gold mining, and through coal burning for electricity. It found that mercury emissions from artisanal gold mining had doubled since 2005 due to factors such as rising gold prices and better reporting on the emissions.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/un-finds-rising-mercury-emissions-poses-health-threat-need-for-global-accord/2013/01/10/aee30f02-5b18-11e2-b8b2-0d18a64c8dfa_story.html