Mercury is among our most serious health and environmental hazards and man-made emissions of mercury result in human exposure, directly and via fish consumption.

As an input to global considerations on mercury management, we present a mercury substitution priority working list; or: An identification of the least essential mercury uses. Our assessment indicates that:

• Many mercury uses may today be readily eliminated, if politically desired.
• Global mercury demand may be reduced significantly by substitution of the least essential uses.
• Applying a prioritized phase-out list may help focusing on the main problems, securing a cost effective phase-out process.

We therefore recommend that a prioritised phase-out work list for intentional mercury uses is discussed and developed further in international cooperation, for example in the Open-ended Working Group considering legal and other initiatives on mercury established under the auspices of UNEP.

The list could serve as:

• A valuable tool in mutual communication and discussion of possible global mercury reductions
• A tool for a step-wise reduction development, if desired politically
• A part of forming a common vision for global mercury reduction.