Banning Mercury: An online documentary film screening

 

Mercury is a highly toxic substance which poses health risks to humans and the environment and is named by the World Health Organization as one of the top ten chemicals of major public health concern. The ASGM sector has been identified as the main anthropogenic source of mercury pollution, accounting for 37% of the total emissions in the global atmosphere.

 

BAN Toxics has worked for years with communities, academic institutions and government units to address mercury and mercury pollution. Our pioneering work focused mostly on the sound management of mercury through successful policy and community engagements.

 

The organization is also one of the first NGOs to work with poverty-driven artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) communities in order to transform and uplift the sector. Our continuing programs have aimed to reduce and eliminate mercury use in ASGM mining processes and at the same time promote the empowerment of women and children, help improve labor conditions, and advocate for the formalization of the largely unrecognized artisanal and small-scale mining sector.

 

The online documentary film screening for Banning Mercury aims to raise awareness on the mercury flows in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector in the Philippines, along with the risks posed by mercury exposure to human health and the environment. After the online premier screening of the documentary, BAN Toxics will hold a quick debriefing session and a question and answer forum to address any clarification the audience might have regarding the topic.