Ensuring responsible management of mercury stocks from the chlor-alkali sector Michael Bender, Director Mercury Policy Project www.mercurypolicy.org UNEP Global Mercury Chlor-alkali Partnership Expert Group Meeting to Identify Barriers and Opportunities Vienna, Austria June 2016

Founded in 1998, the U.S.-based NGO Mercury Policy Project works to: Promote policies to eliminate mercury uses, Reduce mercury trade, and Reduce human exposures to mercury MPP co-coordinates the Zero Mercury Working Group (www.zeromercury.org), coalition of over 90 NGOs from 52 countries

Global Challenge: Managing 10,500 tonnes of mercury from the Chlor-alkali sector in an environmental sound manner Of that amount, around 7,500 tonnes of Hg is located in countries with export bans Around 3,000 tonnes of Hg remains in countries without export bans Suggest Partnership has a role to play to ensure Hg is managed in env. sound manner Open Mercury Cell

Background: Where has the mercury gone in the past? When closed or converted, large quantities of mercury become available The mercury is often transferred to other facilities Or it can be sold into the global marketplace, sometimes for use in artisanal and small scale gold mining (ASGM) ASGM is the largest airborne mercury source worldwide Mercury cell plants can also pollute the local environment, as in case pictured here Spolana Vurmeta, Czech Republic

Changes under Convention to manage Hg from plant conversions or closings Parties have obligation under Article 5.5(c) to report three years after treaty enters into force on number, types of facilities, amount mercury used Article 3, paragraph 5(b) states that where the Party determines that “excess” mercury is available from chlor-alkali sector, such mercury is disposed of in accordance with the env. sound mgt. of waste referred to in paragraph 3 (a) of Article 11 Parties also have reporting requirements under Article 21 that apply to Articles 3,5,7,8,9

Regional solutions versus national approaches for Hg stocks & waste mgt. In collaboration w/national governments, suggest Partnership facilitates development of plans for managing mercury from chlor-alkali sector, Gather data on capacity of national infrastructure/ identify facilities that need to develop own storage, Industry responsibility includes interim storage, transportation, treatment and final disposal Consideration of economies of scale for regional versus national solutions for final disposal Plans would provide information on technical and financial assistance needed for implementation, for consideration by the COP and Secretariat.

Options for maintaining oversight of mercury stocks and wastes Review of options/requirements for storage and end disposal site conditions Storage includes interim and long term (ie monitored warehouse storage, US DoD) Performance, regulatory review of tech. options for stabilization, solidification Comparison of costs/risks/benefits Question of long term durability testing, monitoring containment over time

Exhibit by Zero Mercury Working Group at INC 7

Ensuring env. sound mgt, including preventing illegal mercury trade, etc. Ensure physical security of Hg stocks; Acceptance control/certification of Hg purity before disposal (to avoid situations- like DELA pseudo Hg “waste” to Switzerland); Use of crash/impact, fireproof UN-approved containers to transport waste, consistent with Basel Convention; Permanent surveillance and electronic controls when moving Hg containers; Obligatory chemical identity check when transferring Hg ownership; Record keeping, reporting which includes distinguishing between Hg commodity vs. waste; Frequent external evaluation of Hg stocks & movements; and Public registers to assure openness, transparency.

Thank you!