Buenos Aires, 27 April 2017 – The Argentinian Congress approved the ratification of the Minamata Convention to eliminate the use of mercury by 2020. In doing so, Argentina became the 43rd country to ratify the agreement. 128 countries in total signed the Minamata Convention at a diplomatic meeting that took place on October 10th, 2013 in Kumamoto, in the south of Japan.
“The ratification of the Minamata Convention is excellent news for the environment and human health", said Verónica Odriozola, executive director of Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) – Latin America. HCWH worked for 15 years to advocate for the elimination of mercuyr and collaborated with the health sector to take the lead by replacing medical devices such as thermometers and blood pressure measuring devices that contain this toxic metal. "Over the years, health professionals have committed to eliminating mercury-containing products as the only way to avoid its contaminating presence in the environment and on human beings throughout the world”, explained Odriozola.
Mercury is a global pollutant that affects human and environmental health. There are numerous sources of mercury emissions to the environment, including the health care sector through the breaking of thermometers and blood pressure measuring devices containing this metal.