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The Minamata Convention on Mercury is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds. It was adopted in 2013 in Kumamoto, Japan.
It also controls the trans-boundary movement of mercury. It does not include natural emissions of mercury.
Mercury is considered to be one of the most toxic metals known. Once released into the environment, mercury bioaccumulates and bio-magnifies up in the food chain, and easily enters the human body and impacts the nervous system.