THREE bottles of mercury were, last Friday, found among the bushes in the compound of an abandoned sawmill located in Crabwood Creek, Corentyne, Berbice.
The discovery was made by Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) officers who were conducting an operation in the area.

According to a press release issued by CANU, the bottles of mercury were handed over to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) which is the agency responsible for the importation of this type of chemical element.

Importation, retailing, and distribution require a licence from the Pesticide Toxic Chemical Control Board (PTCCB), the written consent of the Commissioner of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission and an environmental authorisation from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) before any shipment of mercury is imported into Guyana for mining purposes.

Following the ratification of the Minamata Convention on September 24, 2014, a proposal was made for a phase-out approach that would lead to the eventual ban of mercury use in Guyana.
The Government of Guyana signed the convention on October 10, 2013.