Yuyun Ismawati calls countries to end mercury in small-scale gold mining

Mercury is used by small-scale miners to extract gold, however, they are not aware of its harmful effects. Some of them heard about what happen in Minamata bay 70 years ago and the phenomenal disease caused by the industrial mercury pollution. Some miners are aware about the danger but argue that they need the quick cash.
 
Worldwide, ASGM practices can be found in 70 countries including my home country, Indonesia. As gold prices increased in the last 5 years, mercury trade globally also increased. In October 2013, 139 countries agreed to sign the Minamata Convention on Mercury to protect human health and the environment from the anthropogenic source of mercury pollution. 10 countries already ratified the convention and we are still waiting, don’t know how long, for another 40 countries to ratify to allow the convention entry into force. I cannot wait for 50 countries to ratify the treaty while I started seeing more people dying and suffering due to mercury intoxication in ASGM hotspots in many countries.
http://lead.org/news-and-blog/786-yuyun-ismawati-calls-countries-to-end-mercury-in-small-scale-gold-mining