From March 31 to April 1, 2011, the Workshop on Technologies for Mercury Pollution Prevention and Control was held at the Environmental Conventions Building in Beijing. About 100 representatives from related departments of Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP), agencies affiliated to the MEP, provincial and municipal environmental protection bureaus, universities, research institutes, industry associations and enterprises attended the meeting. The situation of mercury pollution at home and abroad was presented at the workshop, followed by discussions on the current status and future development of technologies for mercury pollution prevention and control in key industries, the environmentally sound management of mercury-containing waste, wastewater treatment, contaminated site remediation and mercury monitoring. The technological demands for mercury pollution prevention and control were analyzed, and suggestions on the technological roadmap for China’s mercury pollution prevention and control were proposed.

Held amid accelerated international efforts in drafting an international mercury convention and China’s strengthened efforts against heavy metal pollution, the meeting aims to exchange information about current technologies on mercury pollution prevention, identify China’s technological roadmap for mercury pollution prevention and control, and provide technological support to developing Policies on Technology for Mercury Pollution Prevention and Control and implementing the Planning on Integrated Prevention and Control of Heavy Metal Pollution (2011-2015). The workshop’s success is of great significance to improving mercury pollution prevention technologies in China, strengthening capacity for mercury pollution control and enhancing mercury pollution prevention and control efforts in China.

Liu Zhiquan, Deputy Director General from the Department of Science, Technology and Standards of MEP, Xiao Xuezhi, Deputy Director General of the Foreign Economic Cooperation Office of MEP, and Zheng Binghui, Vice President of the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences attended the meeting and delivered speeches.（translated by Wang Zuguang）