Mercury waste disposal from gold mines in Guatemala

As the first team in the Central American region, together with its local partner REPELSA, BFS offered A-Z disposal service of mercury-contaminated hazardous waste from the gold mining sector in Guatemala. As local treatment capacities can not yet handle this type of waste, BFS supported them with Basel Convention notification licensing, international hazardous waste transportation services and disposal facility mediation with its EU partners.

Project Facts

Project Period: December 2017 - January 2020
City: Guatemala City
Country: Guatemala

Project details

Mercury

Mercury is a highly poisonous heavy metal which evaporates at room temperature. The decontamination of leakages requires high technical and logistical efforts.

Mining Sector

Especially the gold mining sector is a major pollutant of mercury contamination into ground water, organisms and the air with huge effects on the environment and living conditions.

Basel Convention

The trade and mediation of international hazardous waste amounts into certified EU facility promotes international cooperation and protects the environment against illegal dumping.