Integrating Knowledge to Inform Mercury Policy
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Oxford
Department Name: Earth Sciences
Abstract
Mercury is found in many consumer products, including LCD screens and energy-efficient lightbulbs. It is emitted to the environment when products containing mercury are disposed of, as well as from industrial processes such as coal fired power plants. Mercury can, however, be a human health hazard; particularly as it has a tendency to accumulate in fish. Consequently, the UK together with it's European neighbours has been for a number of years trying to find ways of reducing the amount of mercury in the environment. Within the next three years a total ban on mercury in consumer products will be introduced to further curtail the amount of mercury entering the global environment. Mercury is also emitted into the environment from a number of natural sources such as volcanoes, but there are significant uncertainties as to the relative contribution of these natural sources versus industrial processes and consumer products. We will only be able to confirm with reasonable confidence whether the above European Union policies have had the impact intended once we fully understand the contribution of both man-made and natural sources of mercury. We wish to establish a knowledge transfer network to bring academic institutes, industry and government together to address some of these questions. This will be done by means of workshops, reports and a website. By bringing together these three sectors, the Initiative will provide government with the opportunity to explicitly request information from academia and industry which will help to guide and formulate future mercury policy. Only through mutually beneficial interaction will be able to successfully develop and implement policy which will reduce the risk from mercury in the environment.
Organisations
- University of Oxford (Lead Research Organisation)
- KTN - Energy Generation and Supply (Project Partner)
- INEOS Chlor Vinyls (Project Partner)
- Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Project Partner)
- National Physical Laboratory (Project Partner)
- IEA Clean Coal Centre (Project Partner)
- AWE Aldermaston (Project Partner)
- Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences (Project Partner)
- NERC CEH (Up to 30.11.2019) (Project Partner)
- P S Analytical (Project Partner)
- Rdscientific (Project Partner)
Publications
Martin R
(2010)
Major and trace element distributions around active volcanic vents determined by analyses of grasses: implications for element cycling and bio-monitoring
in Bulletin of Volcanology
Description | This project was a knowledge exchange initiative funded from 2008 - 2011, designed to review what is and what is not known about the fate of mercury in the environment. A particular focus of the project was to ensure that the UK scientific and technical knowledge base is used to inform and guide public policy relating to mercury. The full project outcomes have been reported in previous versions of the Research Outputs Database. |
Exploitation Route | One of the major outcomes was the preparation of a briefing paper on pathways for mercury disposal. This paper was subsequently adopted as a briefing document by the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP. The work of the project was disseminated via workshops and briefings, and on the IKIMP website. |
Sectors | Environment |
URL | http://www.mercurynetwork.org.uk/ |
Description | Our work on disposal of redundant mercury was taken up by the UN Environment Programme, and folded into the final discussions for the Minamata convention on Mercury, 2013. |
First Year Of Impact | 2011 |
Sector | Chemicals,Environment |
Impact Types | Policy & public services |
Title | AshCalc |
Description | A web tool to allow volcanologists to determine the volume of a volcanic deposit from their own field data |
Type Of Technology | Webtool/Application |
Year Produced | 2014 |
Impact | We have shared this tool on V-hub, the main platform for volcano-related software tools, and made it freely accessible to researchers around the world. |
URL | https://vhub.org/resources/ashcalc |
Description | Costing the Earth |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Interviewed as part of Lava: A Dangerous Game |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b055g73y |
Description | Darwin college lecture series lecture |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Evening talk as part of a high profile series |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WD7EmV0FI0M |
Description | George and the Blue Moon |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | I wrote a science essay in a children's book |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | https://www.penguin.co.uk/puffin/books/1097513/george-and-the-blue-moon/ |
Description | Life Scientific |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | 30 min programme on Radio 4's Life Scientific broadcast at 9am and via podcast |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08t0d3w |
Description | Oxford Science Blog on impacts of volcanic gases |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Wrote a blog about fieldwork |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | http://www.ox.ac.uk/news/science-blog/living-volcanic-gases-0 |
Description | The Forum |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Panel discussion The Unpredictable Planet: Understanding Volcanoes and Earthquakes on BBC World Service |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p041svq3 |
Description | The Infinite Monkey Cage |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Part of a panel on The Infinite Monkey Cage with Brian Cox, Robin Ince, comedian Jo Brand and Clive Oppenheimer on BBC Radio 4. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09r47j1 |
Description | The Royal Philosophical Society of Glasgow |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | First digital presentation in its 218 years of existence |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | University of Cardiff evening lecture series in the School of Earth and Ocean Sciences |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Evening lecture |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |