Study: More mercury in environment than scientists thought

Today, most new mercury emissions are from coal-fired power plants and artisanal gold mining. Vinyl chloride, a key ingredient in vinyl and plastics, also uses mercury in its production. The Minamata Convention, created in 2013, requires participating nations to phase out mercury emissions. But targets don't account for mercury's long legacy effects.
The study's authors urge the adoption of tighter regulations to avoid future human health risks. To date, the total cost of methylmercury exposure in the U.S. and Europe has been estimated to be more than $15 billion.
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/tech/science/environment/2014/10/22/study-finds-mercury-environment-scientists-thought/17745489/