A/HRC/15/22 electrical and electronic products to countries that do not possess the capacity to dispose of them in an environmentally sound manner. 78. As far as hazardous chemicals and pesticides are concerned, the Special Rapporteur encourages the new mandate holder to continue participating in international efforts aimed at achieving the sound management of chemicals at all stages of their life cycle. More specifically, he recommends that the new Special Rapporteur continue to work closely with the SAICM secretariat and the secretariats of the Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions in order to advocate for the inclusion of a human rights-based approach in any initiative to promote chemicals safety. 79. The present report also drew the attention of the Human Rights Council to two emerging issues that in the view of the Special Rapporteur would need to be studied from a human rights perspective. 80. The Special Rapporteur welcomes the initiative undertaken by the UNEP Governing Council to develop a legally-binding instrument on mercury, and calls on States to support the adoption of such an instrument. He also encourages the new mandate holder to consider participating in the negotiating process, in order to ensure that a human rights-based approach to the sound management of mercury throughout its life cycle be included in the new instrument. 81. The Special Rapporteur calls on States, United Nations specialized agencies, programmes and bodies, the secretariats of multilateral environmental treaties, NGOs and representatives of the private sector to take all necessary steps to phase out the use of lead in lead-based paints. Such steps should include: the adoption of national legal frameworks to prohibit the use of lead in household paints; the development of prevention programmes to reduce exposure; allocation of adequate human, technical and financial resources to estimate the prevalence of lead in paints used at the national level and its adverse impact on the health of affected communities; and the organization of awareness-raising campaigns on the toxicity of lead-based paints. The Special Rapporteur also encourages the new mandate holder to assist the Council in clarifying the adverse impact that lead in paint can have on the enjoyment of human rights of affected individuals and communities. 82. The present report reviewed the current methods of work of the mandate holder in order to assess to what extent the structure of the mandate is appropriate to enable the Special Rapporteur to carry out the functions described in resolution 9/1. 83. The Special Rapporteur is of the view that it is useful to continue to devote annual reports to an in-depth analysis of selected thematic issues, chosen on the basis of the criteria identified in his preliminary report to the Commission (E/CN.4/2005/45). Nevertheless, he would encourage human rights treaty bodies, and in particular the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to make better use of the extensive research carried out by the mandate holder, for example during the interactive dialogue with States parties. 84. With regard to country visits, the Special Rapporteur regrets that while certain States have seriously engaged with the mandate, others have shown less commitment, as demonstrated by the limited number of visits that he has been able to undertake during his tenure. He therefore recommends that the Council reiterate its call on States to facilitate the work of the mandate holder by extending him/her an invitation to undertake country visits. 85. The Special Rapporteur also recommends that the new mandate holder consider establishing a formal mechanism to follow up on country visits. He requests that treaty bodies and the Human Rights Council during the Universal Periodic 20 GE.10-14907