Minamata convention treaty seeks to reduce mercury pollution
(Phys.org) —People from 140 countries across the globe will be signing a treaty this month—its purpose is to reduce the amount of man-made mercury pollution being released into the environment. The treaty signing follows meetings by representatives that have previously agreed to sign it—the signing will be held in Minamat Japan—site of one of the largest mercury spills in history. David Krabbenhoft and Elsie Sunderland of the U.S. Geological Survey and Harvard University respectively, have published a Perspective piece in the journal Science, on the treaty and the many issues surrounding the use of mercury and the problems it can cause. Contributing correspondent for the same journal, Lizzie Wade has also published an article describing the single worst mercury polluting offenders—artesian miners—and the difficulties in getting them to stop their practices.