Building a Mercury Monitoring Network

Laboratory networks for mercury and other contaminant analyses in regional hubs throughout the world, especially in mercury hotspots, will provide important information for the assessment of risk, both to humans and wildlife, in these environments.

BRI’s extensive mercury work in the Caribbean Region has led the way for the first network of integrated laboratories to be established. The primary toxicology laboratory will be located in Antigua and Barbuda, with secondary laboratories in other Caribbean countries. These labs will serve as the regional hubs for mercury analyses of abiotic and biotic samples that are used for assessing human and environmental health.

Download the Caribbean Region Mercury Monitoring Network report here.

Minamata Assessments in Trinidad and Tobago

As International Technical Experts, BRI assisted several small island developing states of the Caribbean, including Trinidad and Tobago, as part of a regional Minamata Initial Assessment. The Basel Convention Regional Center for the Caribbean, based in Trinidad and Tobago, implemented the regional MIA project and BRI provided expertise to assist with the development of national mercury inventories for each participating country using UN Environment’s Toolkit for Identification and Quantification of Mercury Releases. The results of this regional MIA will assist Trinidad and Tobago with meeting requirements outlined by the Minamata Convention to reduce mercury in the environment and exposure of mercury to humans.

Formal Capacity: International Technical Expert

Project Lead: David Evers

Funding/Implementing Agency: GEF/UN Environment

Executing Agency: Basel Convention Regional Center for the Caribbean

The State of Mercury in Trinidad and Tobago

Under the Minamata Convention, individual countries are charged with protecting human health and the environment from the risks of mercury exposure by systematically controlling mercury emissions and releases, including phasing out the use of mercury in certain products and processes.

In order to assist with preparations for the ratification and implementation of the Convention, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago conducted a Minamata Initial Assessment (MIA).

Click here to download the full brochure.

Country Profile

  • Population: 1.3 million (World Bank 2013)
  • Surface Area: 5,128 sq km
  • Capital City: Port of Spain
  • Official Language: English
  • Fish Production: 13,400 tons (FAO 1998)
  • UN Membership Date: September 18, 1962

Mercury Inventory Training Workshop and Validation Workshop

Photo 1: Participants of the Minamata Initial Assessment Mercury Inventory Training Workshop, October 10-13, 2016.
Photo 2: Representatives of Trinidad and Tobago at the Inventory Training Workshop, held in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, October 10-13, 2016.
Photo 3: Participants of the Minamata Initial Assessment Validation Workshop held in Trinidad and Tobago, October 23, 2017.