New legislation restricting the use of mercury, a persistent pollutant that has adverse effects on the environment and human health, was adopted by Parliament on Tuesday. The bill, already informally agreed with the Council of Ministers, aims to close the gap between existing EU legislation and the United Nations Minamata Convention against mercury pollution.
“Mercury is acutely toxic and is one of the ten most damaging naturally occurring substances on this planet. Foetuses, newborns and children are the most vulnerable group, since in the growth phase the brain and the nervous system react very sensitively to mercury”, said lead MEP Stefan Eck (GUE/NGL, DE). “Although I hoped for a more ambitious text, we can at least expect a reduction in the use of mercury after the adoption of the report”, he added.
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