CEC seeks public comment on its draft Phase II North American Regional Action Plan on Mercury

The plan addresses concerns raised by levels of mercury in the environment that are increasing as a result of human activity. The problem is particularly acute for North Americans, especially women of childbearing age, who frequently consume fish and who may thus be exposed to dangerous levels of toxic methylmercury compounds. High mercury content is the main reason for fish consumption advisories issued within North America. There is also evidence that fetuses and children are more susceptible to the harmful effects of mercury and its compounds at lower concentrations than adults. As well as effects on humans, the viability of some predator species in some regions of North America, such as loons and the Florida panther, is compromised by the presence of mercury-contaminated fish in the food chain.

The plan's ultimate goal is to achieve a reduction in mercury released to the North American environment as a result of human activity to amounts that can be attributed to naturally-occurring levels and fluxes. The Phase II plan incorporates goals and actions from a Phase I plan approved by the CEC Council in October 1997. As well, it adds a new mercury-use goal that calls for phasing out or banning specific mercury uses where there is an unreasonable or otherwise unmanageable risk of release to the environment or risk to human health.

While the Phase I plan established an overall framework for addressing mercury within North America, Phase II is action-oriented, and addresses sources and sectors of releases of mercury in the environment, as well as proposals for the ultimate retirement of mercury.

A task force of the CEC's North American Working Group on the Sound Management of Chemicals developed the North American Regional Action Plan on Mercury, which, when approved by the CEC Council, will commit Canada, Mexico and the United States to implementing its actions. To achieve the plan's goals, the three countries propose to:

• reduce mercury releases from specific human activities. This includes, but is not limited to, reductions of mercury releases from combustion sources (for example, coal-fired electrical generating plants, municipal and medical incinerators), commercial processes, operations, products and waste streams;
• develop an enhanced capacity to measure and manage mercury, assess its impacts and communicate concerns and successes;
• establish an equitable implementation and compliance protocol; and
• promote continued appropriate and responsible mercury management initiatives on behalf of the governments, the industries and the citizens of North America.

Written comments on the draft Phase II North American Regional Action Plan on Mercury should be sent, care of Jorge Ocaña, to the following address: Commission for Environmental Cooperation, 393 St-Jacques Ouest, Bureau 200, Montréal, Québec, H2Y 1N9 Canada.

Electronic mail should be sent to: jocana@ccemtl.org .

The draft action plan is available in English, French and Spanish.

For hard copies, write Jorge Ocaña, at the above address. Be sure to indicate the language of your choice.

An electronic version of the draft action plan is available on the CEC's web site. Click the Regional Action Plans button at: http://www.cec.org. The web site includes two mercury action plans: Phase I (adopted in October 1997 by the CEC Council) and Phase II, the draft plan for public consultation. Click on Mercury Phase II: Draft for Public Consultation.

Included within the mercury action plan is Appendix 1: Recommendations to the North American Implementation Task Force on Mercury. These recommendations were provided to the North American Implementation Task Force on Mercury during three CEC workshops on mercury held in 1998. The task force referred to these recommendations in formulating the draft action plan on mercury. Recommendations are organized by subject matter rather than by workshop.

The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) is an international organization created under the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation to address regional environmental concerns, help prevent potential trade and environmental conflicts, and promote effective enforcement of environmental law. The CEC mission underscores the importance of public participation to foster conservation of the North American environment.