Overview
- Delegates at COP6 in Geneva adopted amendments to end the use, import and export of mercury dental amalgam worldwide by 2034 after debate over an earlier 2030 date.
- Parties approved new language to make gold supply chains more transparent through open data and other traceability tools in an effort to curb illegal mercury flows.
- Environmental and Indigenous groups condemned the outcome for failing to curb mercury in small-scale gold mining and urged treaty amendments including a complete ban.
- The U.S. health secretary said the country will end thimerosal use in vaccines and pressed parties to revisit the treaty’s exemption for vaccine preservatives.
- A watchdog report found widespread mercury in skin-lightening creams as several countries requested more time to implement phaseouts, highlighting enforcement gaps.