The «Toolkit for identification and quantification of mercury releases», the «Toolkit», is intended to assist countries to develop a national mercury releases inventory. It provides a standardized methodology and accompanying database enabling the development of consistent national and regional mercury inventories. National inventories will assist countries to identify and address mercury releases. Comparable sets of mercury source release data will enhance international co-operation, discussion, goal-definition and assistance. Comparable datasets from many countries will help to establish a global picture of the scale of releases, and improve possibilities for enlarging the international knowledge base on mercury uses and releases.

The Toolkit guides the inventory developer through the different stages of identifying sources and quantifying the consumption and releases of mercury from these sources. It provides a methodology, examples and extensive information on mercury release sources. The “Toolkit“ has been revised in 2017 based on experiences in using it and new data and exists in two versions:

Inventory Level 1 provides a simplified version of the Toolkit, as well as calculation spreadsheets and a reporting template, to make the development of an overview mercury inventory considerably easier. As something new in the January 2017 version, it is now also possible in a simplified manner – to include information about existing mercury controls and managements practices in the emissions and releases estimations in Inventory Level 1.

Inventory Level 1 Version 2017 – English only

Templates for requesting data, Inventory Level 1

Inventory Level 1 (2011) Language versions

«Inventory Level 2» is the comprehensive version, including a detailed description of all mercury sources, useful for anyone wishing to learn more about a specific mercury release source, including environmental authorities and researchers. Countries are encouraged to use the Toolkit and to submit their inventories to UN Environment Chemicals and Waste Branch, who will make them publicly available on these webpage’s. Input and data from all regions will provide a broader knowledge base for the different sources of mercury releases, important for global inventories and for updates of the toolkit.

UN Environment Chemicals and Waste Branch invites all users of the Toolkit to provide feedback on all aspects of this product. Users may consult with UN Environment concerning any difficulties problems with its application, interpretation and implementation occur or where the system does not seem to apply to the situation found in the country. The Toolkit will be updated and revised, as appropriate and feasible, to take account of emerging information and experience.

Based on the Toolkit, the e-learning platform MercuryLearn has been developed in cooperation with UNITAR (available in English)

This tool is developed to introduce the Toolkit to first-time users, serve as a reference tool for trained users, and enhance the usability of the UN Environment Toolkit as a standard methodology. The approach of the training platform is to provide the technical information in the Toolkit in a visual manner, with interactive activities, maps, videos and exercises. It also provides a platform for experts to exchange information and experiences in preparing inventories. This work is funded by the European Commission.

Published national mercury release inventories can be found here