MORE than 140 countries have reached a deal to cut mercury emissions after all-night talks in Geneva, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) said yesterday.

The agreement aimed to phase out many common household products that use the liquid metal, such as thermometers and some flourescent lamps, and reduce emissions from power plants and cement factories, said UNEP spokesman Nick Nuttall. The Minamata Convention on Mercury could take three to five years to come into force, UNEP said.