Improper Mercury Disposal: 'Disaster in Times of Calamity'

Civil Society Organizations Call For Mitigating Measures

Pasig City — Barely 3 weeks since the country was hit by tropical storms Ondoy and Pepeng, with piles of garbage left along the streets of the flooded communities and evacuees still struggling for space and relief in the cramped evacuation centers and long lines of relief goods, news of impending typhoons are again hanging in the air. With climate change, an unpredictable weather condition is the norm.

"Look beyond the junk on roadside caused by the flood and there you will see piles of garbage that sadly are not all ordinary solid waste. There are hazardous wastes such as mercury thermometers, compact fluorescent lamps, batteries and other mercury-containing devices."

— Richard Gutierrez
Executive Director,
Ban Toxics

But beyond the dangers of flooding and landslides, two civil society organizations issued warning of a possible "disaster in times of calamity." The danger of mercury.

Junk It May Be

According to Ban Toxics and Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA), we need to be wary of the garbage generated by the typhoon. Junk as they may be, this garbage may contain toxic chemicals like mercury.

"Look beyond the junk on roadside caused by the flood and there you will see piles of garbage that sadly are not all ordinary solid waste," said Atty. Richard Gutierrez, Executive Director of Ban Toxics.

"There are hazardous wastes such as mercury thermometers, compact fluorescent lamps, batteries and other mercury-containing devices. These will either end-up in dumpsites or in junk shops who are not equipped to handle mercury wastes," Gutierrez added.

"The problem with mercury is it is toxic and in the case of thermometers, they are packed in very thin glass that easily breaks," said Faye Ferrer, HCWH-SEA Program Officer for Mercury.

Mercury Disposal: At Your Disposal?

Different organizations are pushing for comprehensive disaster response to mitigate effects of impending disasters.

"Disaster does not end with flooding and claimed lives. There are health and environmental issues to be addressed afterwards," said Gutierrez. "At this point, we are calling all concerned stakeholders to do their part."

In a consultative forum entitled "Developing Solutions: Managing Mercury and Mercury Contaminated Wastes in the Philippines" Ban Toxics, HCWH-SEA, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) gathered all concerned stakeholders to develop solutions to manage mercury and mercury wastes.

In 2008, the Department of Health issued an administrative order to gradually phase-out all mercury-containing devices in all Philippine hospitals by 2010. More recently, the House of Representatives passed a bill calling for the phase-out of mercury in all schools in the country. A senate counterpart of the bill is awaiting committee hearing.

"Although there are initiatives from DoH and Congress, we urge other industries to likewise do their part. It is not enough that we discontinue use of mercury in one area and allow other industries to continue its use," said Gutierrez. "We need to have a plan that is comprehensive and practical."

"Finding mercury-free alternatives is a first step. Second, we need to find a temporary storage for the mercury waste we generated. Although several hospitals around the country have phased-out mercury and have in their facility a temporary storage, disposal issue remains frustratingly unaddressed," explained Ferrer. "Another typhoon may be all it needs to remind us that we need to find a safe place to keep the phased-out mercury devices."

 

For further information please visit www.noharm.org.ph and bantoxics.multiply.com, or contact:

 

Notes to Journalists

[1] Mercury is a naturally occurring substance, and cannot be destroyed by any chemical means. It is also a potent neurotoxin, and primary human exposure to mercury is through ingestion of contaminated food, such as fish.

[2] In March, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Ministry of Japan and the Zero Mercury Working Group (ZMWG) organized an inception meeting for the Asian region to discuss the issue of terminal storage of mercury. This is in pursuant to the decision of the UNEP Governing Council to consider curbing primary production and introduction into commerce of excess mercury supply. Likewise the Governing Council in February 2007 established mercury supply reduction as a global priority and urged governments to gather information on the options and solutions for the long-term storage of mercury.