Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07SANJOSE17
2007-01-08 19:59:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy San Jose
Cable title:
COSTA RICA: DEMARCHE ON MERCURY ISSUES AT 24TH
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHSJ #0017 0081959 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 081959Z JAN 07 FM AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6940 INFO RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0792 RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 0304 RUEHGE/AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN 0424 RUEHGT/AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA 3547 RUEHKG/AMEMBASSY KINGSTON 0768 RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 3852 RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 0434 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 0490 RUEHSP/AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN 0457 RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 1280 RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 0439 RUEHDG/AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO 1503 RUEHTG/AMEMBASSY TEGUCIGALPA 3595 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0291
UNCLAS SAN JOSE 000017
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR OES/ENV (HFINMAN) AND OES/PCI (LSPERLING)
SAN SALVADOR FOR AID (ADIX)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV PREL ETRD EMIN SOCI AORC CS
SUBJECT: COSTA RICA: DEMARCHE ON MERCURY ISSUES AT 24TH
SESSION OF UNEP GOVERNING COUNCIL
REF: 06 STATE 202028
UNCLAS SAN JOSE 000017
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR OES/ENV (HFINMAN) AND OES/PCI (LSPERLING)
SAN SALVADOR FOR AID (ADIX)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV PREL ETRD EMIN SOCI AORC CS
SUBJECT: COSTA RICA: DEMARCHE ON MERCURY ISSUES AT 24TH
SESSION OF UNEP GOVERNING COUNCIL
REF: 06 STATE 202028
1. SUMMARY: Environment Ministry contacts confirmed that
the GOCR had not yet considered mercury issues in the context
of the February 5-9 UNEP Governing Council meeting. Ministry
advisor Maria del Pilar Alfaro noted that a ban on the
international trade or primary mining of mercury could impact
Costa Rica's health sector, which relies on older medical
equipment that uses mercury. She observed that any domestic
mercury voluntary reduction strategy would need to be
preceded by a mercury use/stockpile inventory, which does not
yet exist in Costa Rica. Alfaro added that the GOCR and U.S.
EPA are close to finalizing a USD 10,000 agreement on
replacing mercury-based thermometers and that discussions are
underway with UNITAR on a second project. END SUMMARY.
2. REO raised requested demarche (reftel) on January 4 with
Environment Ministry Directorate of Environmental Quality
Management (Direccion de Gestion de Calidad Ambiental - DGCA)
technical advisor Maria del Pilar Alfaro and on January 5
with Director of International Cooperation Ruben Munoz. Both
confimed that the Ministry of Environment has not yet
considered mercury issues in the context of the upcoming
February 5-9 United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
Governing Council meeting in Nairobi.
3. Alfaro said that Costa Rica does not produce mercury.
She noted that Costa Rica,s health sector, whose aging but
serviceable equipment requires mercury, is the country,s
most important user of the substance. Little if any mercury
is currently used in the mining sector. She predicted that a
phase-out of mercury mining or a ban on mercury trade,
&while ideal,8 would have a major impact on Costa Rica,s
health system, which currently lacks the funds to upgrade its
equipment to non-mercury dependent equipment.
4. Alfaro flagged in particular Costa Rica,s need to
develop a mercury stockpile inventory, the first step towards
a domestic mercury reduction strategy. The Health Ministry
is undertaking a tentative catalog of mercury use in the
health sector. Should an inventory be developed, the GOCR
would have a more complete sense of its exposure to an
international prohibition against mercury trading and
possible approaches for reducing mercury use.
5. Alfaro said that the government had two mercury-related
projects under development. First, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency and (EPA) and the GOCR are close to signing
a letter of understanding for a USD 10,000 project to phase
out mercury-based thermometers. Second, preliminary
discussions are underway between the GOCR and the United
Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) on a
mercury-related project.
LANGDALE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR OES/ENV (HFINMAN) AND OES/PCI (LSPERLING)
SAN SALVADOR FOR AID (ADIX)
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV PREL ETRD EMIN SOCI AORC CS
SUBJECT: COSTA RICA: DEMARCHE ON MERCURY ISSUES AT 24TH
SESSION OF UNEP GOVERNING COUNCIL
REF: 06 STATE 202028
1. SUMMARY: Environment Ministry contacts confirmed that
the GOCR had not yet considered mercury issues in the context
of the February 5-9 UNEP Governing Council meeting. Ministry
advisor Maria del Pilar Alfaro noted that a ban on the
international trade or primary mining of mercury could impact
Costa Rica's health sector, which relies on older medical
equipment that uses mercury. She observed that any domestic
mercury voluntary reduction strategy would need to be
preceded by a mercury use/stockpile inventory, which does not
yet exist in Costa Rica. Alfaro added that the GOCR and U.S.
EPA are close to finalizing a USD 10,000 agreement on
replacing mercury-based thermometers and that discussions are
underway with UNITAR on a second project. END SUMMARY.
2. REO raised requested demarche (reftel) on January 4 with
Environment Ministry Directorate of Environmental Quality
Management (Direccion de Gestion de Calidad Ambiental - DGCA)
technical advisor Maria del Pilar Alfaro and on January 5
with Director of International Cooperation Ruben Munoz. Both
confimed that the Ministry of Environment has not yet
considered mercury issues in the context of the upcoming
February 5-9 United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
Governing Council meeting in Nairobi.
3. Alfaro said that Costa Rica does not produce mercury.
She noted that Costa Rica,s health sector, whose aging but
serviceable equipment requires mercury, is the country,s
most important user of the substance. Little if any mercury
is currently used in the mining sector. She predicted that a
phase-out of mercury mining or a ban on mercury trade,
&while ideal,8 would have a major impact on Costa Rica,s
health system, which currently lacks the funds to upgrade its
equipment to non-mercury dependent equipment.
4. Alfaro flagged in particular Costa Rica,s need to
develop a mercury stockpile inventory, the first step towards
a domestic mercury reduction strategy. The Health Ministry
is undertaking a tentative catalog of mercury use in the
health sector. Should an inventory be developed, the GOCR
would have a more complete sense of its exposure to an
international prohibition against mercury trading and
possible approaches for reducing mercury use.
5. Alfaro said that the government had two mercury-related
projects under development. First, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency and (EPA) and the GOCR are close to signing
a letter of understanding for a USD 10,000 project to phase
out mercury-based thermometers. Second, preliminary
discussions are underway between the GOCR and the United
Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) on a
mercury-related project.
LANGDALE