Ghana steps up efforts to phase out mercury containing products

ACCRA, Aug. 8 (GNA/Xinhua) – Steps
are underway to get Ghana phase out items and chemicals containing mercury in
line with the Minamata Convention on Mercury, an official disclosed here on
Tuesday.

Sam Adu-Kumi, Director for Chemicals
Control and Management Centre/Registrar of Pesticides of the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), stressed the need for some level of urgency in public
education and sensitization of decision makers to achieve this goal.

This, he said, was important
considering the harmful effects of mercury on the environment and human life.

“Mercury discharged into the
atmosphere and in the environment contaminates the food chain for plants,
animals and finally affects humans who consume them,” he told the media at
a workshop.

The Minamata Convention on Mercury, a
global treaty to protect human health and the environment from the adverse
effects of mercury, was adopted by the Conference of Plenipotentiaries held in
Minamata and Kumamoto, Japan, in 2013.

“We were given up to 2020 to
complete the phasing out or phasing down process, but looking at the magnitude
of work involved, we have requested for extension so we are now expected to
complete the process by 2025,” the official said. 

GNA