EcoLur
The mercury has intruded into food chains, which is extremely hazardous, as Armen Saghatelyan, Director of the Institute of Ecological Noosphere Studies, stated at the introductory seminar of “Initial Evaluation of Minimata Convention on Mercury in Armenia” project.
“Investigating thoroughly the environmental pollution, we met mercury pollution in different chains of the biosphere and in some areas we detected that the mercury as already intruded into food chains, which is extremely hazardous,” Armen Saghatelyan said. He said that the mercury was already recorded both in the north and the south of Armenia - in mining areas, as well as in Yerevan, where mercury is available in dust, soil and even fruit.
Reminder: On 10 October 2013 Armenia together with 91 countries signed the Minamata Convention on Mercury in Kumamoto City, Japan, but it hasn’t been ratified so far.
During the seminar Nature Protection Minister Aramayis Grigoryan valued the studies of mercury in Armenia, which will make it clear whether or not Armenia will ratify the convention.
Under Nature Protection Minister, the convention will enable to build proper capacities to process, neutralize and eliminate wastes containing mercury like lamps and electronic devices to solve this problem.
It should be mentioned that the studies conducted by “Armenian Women for Health and Healthy Environment” NGO detected mercury in the cosmetics and kid toys sold in the domestic markets, as well as the sales of fluorescent lamps have also increased in the market.
October 24, 2014 at 17:25