Heavy Metals

In order to carry out the review of the 1998 Protocol on Heavy Metals a Task Force on Heavy Metals was established by Executive Body decision 2004/2. The Task Force was discontinued in 2014. Work on heavy metals is now being addressed under the Task Force on Techno-economic issues. Scientific work on heavy metals continues under relevant EMEP and Working Group on Effects bodies.

Led by Germany, the Task Force addressed the technical needs of the reviews and assessments required by the 1998 Aarhus Protocol on Heavy Metals, including scheduled evaluations of limit values, the review of sufficiency and effectiveness and the review of additional heavy metals, product control measures or products/product groups. The work took into account activities of relevant bodies under the Convention and synergies with the abatement of particulate matter.

In 2007, the Executive Body adopted an Action Plan for Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia to encourage ratification of the protocols to the Convention and to support these countries' involvement in the activities of the Convention. All Parties and Convention bodies were urged to address the issues as a matter of priority. In this regard, the Task Force facilitated a number of workshops to build capacities of experts from those countries.