The seventh session of the intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC7) requested the interim secretariat of the Minamata Convention to seek information from Governments and others in relation to certain articles of the Convention. This information is required towards the preparations for the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention. In relation to this request, the interim secretariat has made two calls for information.

The first call for information relates to Article 7 (Artisanal and small-scale gold mining), Article 10 (Environmentally sound interim storage of mercury, other than waste mercury), Article 11 (Mercury wastes), Article 12 (Contaminated sites), and Article 22 (Effectiveness evaluation). The information requested is summarized in this attachment. The deadline for the submission of this information has now been extended to Sunday, 30 October 2016.

The second call for information relates to the calculation or estimation of mercury emissions and releases from the open burning of waste, including quantities of waste generated annually, the proportion of waste subjected to open burning and the average mercury content of waste. In relation to this request, a fact sheet outlining the current state of the knowledge on this issue was sent out. The deadline for the submission of this information is Friday, 9 December 2016.

Any information should be submitted to:

The Principal Coordinator

Interim Secretariat of the Minamata Convention on Mercury

Chemicals and Waste Branch

Division of Technology, Industry and Economics

United Nations Environment Programme

11 - 13 chemin des Anémones

CH - 1219 Châtelaine, Geneva, Switzerland

Fax: (41 22) 797 3460

E-mail: mercury.chemicals@unep.org