EcoWaste Coalition Calls for Heightened Action to Combat Mercury Trafficking and Pollution

• The EcoWaste Coalition is demanding stricter enforcement of mercury regulations in the Philippines to mark the ninth anniversary of the Minamata Convention.
• Despite progress in policy adoption, the group warns that smuggling, illegal trade, and improper waste management continue to endanger public health and ecosystems.

Key Challenges

• Mercury Smuggling: Mercury continues to enter the country for use in informal artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM), frequently moving through routes like the Indonesia-Davao corridor.
• Digital Trade: Traders utilize online marketplaces and social media platforms to sell mercury and mercury-containing products, exploiting gaps in existing international trade bans.
• Consumer Products: Banned mercury-laden skin-lightening products remain prevalent in the local market, and outdated medical devices containing mercury (such as thermometers and sphygmomanometers) continue to be traded.
• Waste Management Failure: The disposal of spent mercury-containing lamps remains hazardous due to the lack of systematic collection, insufficient drop-off points, and the failure of current extended producer responsibility (EPR) policies. Notably, a $1.37 million Lamp Waste Management Facility remains underutilized.

Proposed Actions

• Enhanced Enforcement: The government must increase monitoring of phase-out targets and cooperate internationally to intercept mercury at ports.
• Strengthened Policy: The group advocates for an end to the global trade of mercury and the establishment of a hard cut-off date for mercury use in the ASGM sector under the Minamata Convention.