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Mash Central Correspondent
THE Environmental Management Agency recently launched an awareness campaign on the adverse effects of mercury in Mashonaland Central, in line with the Minamata Convention that aims to protect human health and the environment.

The campaign was targeted at small-scale gold miners and artisanal miners as they are the major emission source in Zimbabwe and it is estimated that they are responsible for over 1 600 tonnes per year of mercury emissions.

Despite the widespread usage of mercury, it plays a pivotal role in the Zimbabwean economy, with the small-scale and artisanal gold miners for the first time in more than 10 years, emerging as the cornerstone of the sector after smashing production records, producing and delivering more gold than large-scale mining houses.

The country’s primary producers yielded 24,8 tonnes of gold in 2017, according to official data.

Speaking during the campaigns, EMA education and publicity officer Mr Munyaradzi Nhariswa said in view of the sector’s contribution to the economy, it was important that sustainable and viable alternatives be adopted to reduce, limit or even to eliminate mercury use while at the same time maintaining or increasing gold production.

“This awareness campaign is targeted at small-scale gold miners and artisanal miners whom we are going to educate on the adverse effects of mercury in line with the Minamata Convention in order to protect human health and the environment,” he said.

“They are the major release or emission source in Zimbabwe and it is estimated that the sector is responsible for over 1 600 tonnes per year of mercury emissions to the air and on land.

“In view of the sector’s contribution to the economy it is important that sustainable and viable alternatives be adopted to reduce, limit or even to eliminate mercury use while at the same time maintaining or increasing gold production levels.”

Mr Nhariswa said mercury was a highly toxic element that is found both naturally and as an introduced contaminant in the environment with research showing that mercury is a threat to people and the environment.

He said the effects of mercury exposure could be severe, subtle or may not occur at all depending on factors such as the form of mercury, amount of exposure, age of exposed person and exposure period etc.

Minamata Convention is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury and it was agreed at the fifth session of the Inter-Governmental Negotiating Committee on mercury in Geneva, Switzerland on January 19, 2013 and adopted on October 10, 2013 at a diplomatic conference held in Kumamoto, Japan.