| Editorial
EUPHEMET stands for EU Policy for Heavy METals and
it is a joint research project of the University of Athens (UoA), Imperial
College - London (ICON) and the Institute for European Environmental
Policy - Brussels (IEEP-B) supported by the Directorate General for
Research of the European Commission.
MIO-ECSDE hosted a EUPHEMET workshop which was held
in Athens between 17-18 April 2000 under the title: Trends in production,
uses and policies on heavy metals (Lead, Mercury, Cadmium) world wide and
within the EU with a special session on batteries. The participants were
of various backgrounds and from around the globe. The meeting was a direct
follow-up of the International Conference and Exhibition on Municipal
Solid Waste Management in the Mediterranean and Arab Region which was held
in Cairo late last year under the auspices of the Prime Minister of Egypt
and which was co-organised by RAED and MIO-ECSDE.
Metals are natural components of the Earth's crust
and humans have come in contact with many of them from the very early
phases of civilisation. However, for the majority of heavy metals it is
certain that their present rate of exploitation, direct or indirect use
and concentration in the environment are extremely high in comparison to
previous centuries. In many cases, we still know very little about their
environmental effects and therefore an ongoing accumulation in the
environment increases the risk of future problems, that will then be very
difficult to address.
This issue of Sustainable Development, based on the
results of the workshop and also other sources, attempts to present the
issue of heavy metals (lead, mercury and cadmium) in batteries in the
Mediterranean, focusing more on the current and future trends of use of
the three heavy metals in batteries and related policies and measures.
One must keep in mind that mercury batteries have
been banned in the EU while a proposal to ban cadmium batteries as well,
has been tabled by the Commission.
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