Mercury Retirement Canadian Assessment Breaking the Mercury Cycle Boston Massachusetts May 1 – 3, 2002 Luke Trip, Manager National Mercury Programs, Environment Canada

Three Fact-Finding Studies 1.Socio-Economic Assessment of Continuing Mercury Use, Establishing a Mercury Recycling and Retirement Program, Development of Retirement and Long-term Storage Options for Mercury

Socio-Economic Assessment of Continuing Mercury Use Environmental impacts – Bioconcentration in predators – Disrupts ecological balance n Human Health impacts – Developing nervous systems – Learning abilities – Cardiovascular/immunological effects n Estimating Benefits of Reductions – Willingness-to-pay survey

Socio-Economic Assessment of Continuing Mercury Use n Willingness-to-pay survey – Represents maximum amount an individual would pay and still be indifferent to having reduction and having kept money – Measures society’s value of environment n Ranking of major concerns – Health care – Education – Environment – Unemployment – Highway safety

Socio-Economic Assessment of Continuing Mercury Use n Ranking of environmental concerns 1.Depletion of ozone layer 2.Global warming 3.Smog in urban areas 4.Mercury pollution

Socio-Economic Assessment of Continuing Mercury Use n Pay for reductions of Hg in municipal waste – Willingness to pay annual fee (42% not able to provide estimate) n $10 or less- 21% n $11 - $49- 12% n $50 - $ % n + $100- 5% – Willingness to pay through taxes (32% not able to provide estimate) n $10 or less- 25% n $11 - $49- 14% n $50 - $ % n + $100- 7%

Establishing a Mercury Recycling and Retirement Program n Establishing an inventory – Industrial/commercial products – By-product/waste generation – Institutional uses n Assessing demand/availability – Linked to USA production/recycling – Enough recycled Hg available n Production from mining other metals

Establishing a Mercury Recycling and Retirement Program n Industrial/Commercial Products – 1 chlor-alkali plant kgs/yr – Dental amalgams kgs/yr – Electrical devices – Thermostats - 22,700 kgs pool – Auto switches- 20,000 kgs/14million vehicles – Appliances- 7,000 kgs pool – Fluorescent lamps- 4,800 kgs pool – 10 Lighthouses - 2,200 kgs – Thermometers- 2,700 kgs pool Total approx 60,000 kgs

Establishing a Mercury Recycling and Retirement Program n By-product/Waste Generation – Mining/smelting residues n “sequestered”- 110,000 kgs n Calomel export- 2,000 kgs – Ash (coal, waste) - unknown Total approx 112,000 kgs

Establishing a Mercury Recycling and Retirement Program n Institutional Uses – Hospitals n Thermometers, sphygmomanometers, n - 20,000 kgs – Universities/Schools n Estimated- 5,000 kgs Total approx 25,000 kgs Grand Totalapprox 200,000 kgs

Establishing a Mercury Recycling and Retirement Program n Existing Barriers – Low price for mercury – Economies of scale (Canadian issue) – Few strategies and programs in place – Lack of legislation – Lack of incentives

Establishing a Mercury Recycling and Retirement Program n Recommendations – Move from leadership to general practice – Further use reduductions – Recycle for full life cycle management – Extend education – Label products – Retirement to deal with recycled excess

Development of Retirement and Long-term Storage Options n Mercury Recycling – International initiatives n Nordic countries proactive recycling/retirement n Benelux etc. collection/recycling programs n ISO dental amalgam waste separators – North America n Proposed in N.A Mercury Action Plan n USA stronger in North East region n Canada a few voluntary initiatives n Mexico mercury still produced

Development of Retirement and Long-term Storage Options n Assessing Technologies – Ranking for Health, Safety and Environment n No releases, staff trained and protected – Ranking for Plant Operations n Length of time process used n Ease of operation n Automatic control systems n Sensitivity variations in composition – Enter Appropriate Scoring

Development of Retirement and Long-term Storage Options n Description of “Chemical” Technologies – Retorting – high temperature Hg recovery – Thermal desorption – mercury in soils – Liquid waste incineration/carbon adsorption – Rotary kiln incineration and spray injection – Ion exchange- removal from aqueous media – Amalgamation onto noble metals – Chemical precipitation – Stabilization to HgS – Encapsulation

Development of Retirement and Long-term Storage Options n Description of “Storage” Technologies – Conventional mine storage n Dry, geologically stable warehousing – Solution Mines n Salt mine caverns, self sealing – Secure Landfill n In sealed containers, no liquids, Hg < 500 ppm – Stabilization/Solidification/Landfill n In silicate/pozzolanic matrix, n Placement then sealed by slurry walls

Development of Retirement and Long-term Storage Options n Conclusions and Recommendations – Amalgamation and stabilization show high potential for sequestration – Mine storage - good long term potential – Minimize incineration occasions – Partner with others (USA) – Refine inventory – Develop federal strategy to support retirement

Concluding Statements n Mercury is a toxic substance with increasingly declining value and need as a commodity. n Leadership needs to be exercised globally to significantly reduce the amount of anthropogenic mercury available to the global pool. n The Goal: to reduce anthropogenic inputs to such a level that natural depletion mechanisms will gradually reduce atmospheric levels of mercury to those of pre-industrial times (0.5 – 0.8 ng/m 3 )