Mercury Campaign

GVB has partnered with the United States EPA in their attempt to reduce global mercury emissions from coal and oil-fired power plants. While US power plants emit approximately 160 tons of mercury, China's yearly emissions exceed 1,000 tons. Outpacing Europe, India, Australia and Zaire, the emissions growth rate of China is estimated to be greater than the total amount of mercury released by the US in one year. Although 55 percent of mercury emissions come from natural sources like oceans, volcanoes and burning biomass, the remaining 45 percent comes from man-made processes. Atmospheric mercury can remain airborne for a year or more and only 20 percent is deposited at or near the source. This means that more than 80 percent of airborne mercury emissions travel great lengths from the source and eventually contaminate the seas, where fish and other creatures absorb the toxic metal. From 1978 to 1995, total coal consumption in China increased fourfold which subsequently raised mercury emissions to previously unseen levels.

Currently, EPA is providing technical assistance to Chinese partners for the assessment of mercury emissions in China. “The project is an extensive collaboration effort involving EPA, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S. Geological Survey in the U.S., and SEPA, Tsinghua University, Zhejiang University, Institute of Geochemistry, and Global Village Beijing of China. The effort involves source characterization, emissions inventory, transport modeling, monitoring, development of a situational assessment, and development of public information materials on mercury risks and management strategies.”

-Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities

The first conference on Mercury Pollution and Prevention was hosted by Global Village on August 20th , 2004. Research specialists were brought together to discuss current problems relating to mercury pollution and how best to educate the public as to the effects of mercury emissions. Researchers also agreed that China is now the foremost polluter of mercury in the world with certain regions exhibiting the highest emissions. The specialists at the conference took the rare opportunity to gather together and not only compare research but remind the public that although the effects of mercury pollution may not be evident today, they will almost certainly become clear in the future if nothing is done to curb emissions.

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