The document discusses mercury contamination in Lahore, Pakistan. It aims to identify sources of mercury exposure, quantify exposure levels, and develop waste management plans to reduce risks. Specific objectives include selecting at-risk areas, collecting and analyzing waste water and soil samples to detect mercury, and establishing a mercury baseline for Lahore. The document also covers mercury's health impacts, sources like factories and medical waste, and methods to measure health costs and willingness to pay for mitigation. It presents survey results on costs of mercury-related diseases and averting behaviors among middle-class residents in certain Lahore neighborhoods. Finally, it recommends actions like product labeling, bans, and carbon injection to reduce mercury emissions.
3. Mercury is the 80th element of on the periodic table
Its a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80.
Determination of mercury toxicity and its exposure on human and its
environment is of vital importance.
This study covers,
a. Selection of areas at risk to mercury contamination,
b. Collection and analysis of waste water and soil for detection of mercury,
c. Preparation of mercury base line data in Lahore.
4. To identify the sources of mercury exposure to the different sectors of
society.
Quantify the mercury exposure sources.
To develop mercury waste management plans to reduce the risk of mercury
exposure.
Study is aimed to provide baseline and awareness of environmentally safe
reuse/disposal options of mercury products.
5. Exposure to mercury even small amounts
may cause serious health problems, and is
a threat to the development of the child and
early in life.
Mercury may have toxic effects on the
nervous, digestive and immune systems,
and on lungs, kidneys, skin and eyes.
Mercury is considered by WHO as one of
the top ten chemicals or groups of
chemicals of major public health concern.
The inorganic salts of mercury are
corrosive to the skin and eyes.
6. Harming environment ecosystem.
Increase in diseases.
Residuals of Lahore breathing poisonous air due to environment.
Memory loss, mental disturbance and muscle weakness.
The use of mercury in artisanal gold mining not only adversely affect the
health of millions of artisanal miners and their communities, but is also a
major cause of global mercury pollution.
7. Factories in the city are pumping hundreds of kilograms
of mercury in the city air and water like in lahore.
In Lahore (ittehad mills), is being released into the
environment through extensive use of mercury
compounds as well as through use of certain high
volume materials with traces of mercury.
Health sectors ( Hospitals, health care units and clinics).
From products (thermometers and amalgam fillings).
Mercury released from medical waste incineration,
Land fill fires.
Open burning
Municipal waste water
8. We use Health Cost method to measuring the health damage cost and
Averting Behavior method to estimating the willingness to pay for avoiding
environmental damages.
We collected data by primary sources by holding direct question answers
with mature people of Jati umrah, Raiwan road, Batapur, Iqbal town.
The data is collected from middle class.
9. The data in this graph was
taken by Middle class of Jati
umrah, Raiwand road,
Batapur and Iqbal town.
People are paying health cost
of mercury diseases from 1.4
% to 2.3 %.
For averting behavior they
are willing to pay less than
1% of their annual income
0
10000
20000
30000
40000
50000
60000
70000
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Serial #
Income
Health Cost
Averting Behavior
10. The labeling and separation of products containing mercury will increase
awareness about mercury in household products.
Over the past decade the amount of mercury in products has been greatly
reduced.
Reduction in the amount of mercury in products are already evident in
many locations.
Should bans on the sale of many mercury-containing products.
We reduce mercury emission by activating Carbon Injection System.