Indonesia encouraged the global declaration against illegal mercury trade while serving as host of the fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP-4) Minamata Convention in November 2021 (online) and March 2022 (live).

Director General of Garbage, Waste, Toxic and Dangerous Material Management (PSLB3) Rosa Vivien Ratnawati noted that the declaration plan is part of several issues to be discussed at the COP-4 Minamata Convention.

During a press conference observed from here on Tuesday, Ratnawati noted that one of the issues discussed during the online session of the conference was national reporting from 135 countries that ratify the Minamata Convention.

The evaluation of effectiveness as well as the development of mercury monitoring formulation will also be discussed, she remarked.

At the live meeting planned to be hosted in Bali in March 2022, a discussion will also be held on adding other banned products that contain mercury over and above the declaration.

Moreover, a suggestion will be put forth on gradually reducing the use of amalgam dental, and discussion will be held regarding the production process that use mercury.

The meeting will also discuss the development of guidelines for the creation of a national action plan that each country has concerning small-scale gold mines.

Foreign Affairs Ministry’s Expert Staff, Muhsin Syihab, the head of Indonesia’s delegation for online COP-4, noted that Indonesia sought to create a legation for eradicating the use of mercury at the press conference.

“At the COP-4 Minamata, Indonesia had initiated a declaration on the eradication of illegal mercury trade,” he noted.

Syihab also expects the declaration to raise the people’s awareness to always avoid using mercury.

Source: Antara News