Global Mercury Assessment 2018 - Key Findings

This document presents the principal findings of a technical assessment by the United Nations Environment Programme and the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme based on peer-reviewed science. It estimates global anthropogenic mercury emissions to air at about 2,220 tonnes in 2015, around 20 per cent higher than in 2010, with Asia and artisanal and small-scale gold mining as major sources. It examines emissions, releases, legacy mercury, methylmercury formation, exposure pathways, and the role of waste management and life-cycle controls in reducing pollution.