Lok Sabha Question No. 815 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-02-07
Subject: Impact of Mercury
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 815

TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.02.2017

## Impact of Mercury

## 815. SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  taken  note  of  the  extensive  use  of  highly  toxic mercury in the healthcare and lighting sectors in the country;
- (b) if so, the details and the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (c) whether the  Government has  conducted any study  to  ascertain  the  ill  effects  of mercury on human health and environment in the country;
- (d) if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether the Government has signed the Minamata Agreement, a global treaty to protect the human health and environment from the adverse effects of mercury; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof along with the other steps taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI ANIL MADHAV DAVE)

- (a) & (b) The Government has taken note of the use of mercury in the healthcare and lighting sector in the country.  Major use of mercury in the healthcare sector are in dental amalgam, medical devices such as thermometers and sphygmomanometers.  Whereas  in  lighting  sector,  mercury  is  used  in Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs).

Recognizing the adverse impact of mercury on health and environment, the Ministry  of  Health  and  Family  Welfare  (MoH&FW)  has  notified  the Clinical Establishment Act, 2010 which has been adopted so far by 14 States and Union Territories (UTs).

The  Ministry  of  Health  and  Family  Welfare  (MoH&FW)  has  also  issued guidelines for phase-out of mercury  containing Blood  Pressure (BP) instruments  i.e  sphygmomanometers  and  thermometers,  and  for  reducing environmental  pollution  due  to  mercury  originating  from  hospitals  and health centers. Mercury content in CFL is also regulated under the e-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016 notified by the Government.

- (c) & (d) No such specific study has been undertaken by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
- (e) & (f) The Government of India signed the Minamata Convention on Mercury on 30  September,  2014.    This  Convention  on  Mercury  is  a  global  treaty  to protect  human  health  and  the  environment  from  the  adverse  effects  of mercury through reduction of mercury emissions from all sources, including gold mining, dental practices, chlor-alkali plants, coal combustion, medical uses  as  well  as  waste  management,  storage,  fate  and  transport  in  the atmosphere and other related issues.

India has taken upthe process of Mercury Initial Assessment (MIA) as a step towards exploring the possibility of ratification of the Minamata Convention and establishing a national foundation to undertake future work towards the implementation  of  the  Convention.  Accordingly,  a  project  viz.  'Improve Mercury  Management  in  India',  is  being  taken  up  to  create  a  national mercury profile, including significant sources of emissions and releases, as well as inventories of mercury and mercury compounds.

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