Mercury Free Campaign

Toxics and Waste Programme of Arnika as IPEN Heavy Metals Working Group Secretary became one of the coordination centers of IPEN Mercury Free Campaign.

	Raise awareness about mercury exposure and safer alternatives;
	Reach-out to and educate and engage public interest and civil society organizations to promote mercury-free policies with their local and national decision-makers; and
	Promote a strong global mercury treaty to be adopted in 2013.

IPEN's Mercury-Free Campaign reflects the alarming international level of human and environmental health threats posed by mercury and aims to build a highly effective and robust base of civil society and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) across the globe to support the development of a strong global mercury treaty.

Arnika's activity report: A press conference was held on 27th April 2010. It introduced the need of development of a strong and effective global mercury-treaty, the IPEN Mercury-Free campaign aiming to achieve this and also IPEN's views on the treaty. Results of the international mercury-in-products survey (coordinated by Arnika) were as well presented together with information on mercury situation in Czech republic and results of a survey of the use of mercury-containing blood-pressure meters in Czech hospitals.

To strengthen the credibility of and add weight to presented information a respected scientist from the Institute of Environmental Studies, Charles University, Prague was invited to speak about health issues connected to mercury. Especially problems with alarming level of mercury in fish in Czech rivers were discussed.

Also a press release summarizing all above mentioned information was sent to a broad list of media and journalists.

Journalists present on the press conference were given a press-kit containing the press release and Czech translations of description of the campaign, IPEN Views on the Mercury Treaty and of the executive summary of results of the international mercury-in-products survey. Also other printed materials and information were available.

Outputs of described activities were articles in various media and also a TV made interviews with speakers from the press conference. Other outputs are translated campaign documents that are now available on Arnika website.