Mercury may be one of the best-documented hazardous substances utilised by man. Still the uncovering of the global human impacts on the environment through the use and mobilisation of mercury cannot be considered complete – this is particularly the case for many developing countries and countries in economic transition.

The aim of this report is to present the essence of the global mercury problem based on contemporary research. The control of mercury's environmental impact is well on the way now in many countries, and the time may be right for common global initiatives towards the problems related to mercury, which cannot be solved by individual national or regional actions only.

Mercury's nature – volatile, nondegradable, long-range transportable, bio-magnified and toxic – makes its use and release a global problem found everywhere on Earth, irrespective of the absence of local emission sources.