Mercury Storage Project in Asia and the Pacific Desiree Montecillo Narvaez Programme Officer, Mercury and other Metals Programme United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Demand and Supply Equilibrium demand supply Demand- Supply Balance CEE: 2011 LAC: 2015 Asia: 2027

Sources of Mercury Supply 2005 Sources of mercury supply (2005) Mercury supply (metric tonnes) Primary mercury mining By-product mercury Recycled mercury from chlor-alkali wastes a) Recycled mercury - other b) Mercury from chlor-alkali cells (decommissioning) c) Stocks d) Total Source: Maxson, Peter

Mercury Demand/Consumption 2007 ApplicationMetric Tonnes Small-scale/artisanal gold mining650-1,350 Vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) production800-1,000 Chlor-alkali production Batteries Dental use Measuring devices Lighting Switches and relays Other (PU elastomers, paints, testing and laboratory, pharmaceutical, cultural uses) Total3,000-4,700 Source: Maxson, Peter

Estimated Surplus Mercury by Region for 40 years 5 Surplus mercury [t]

National/ regional mercury supply What is Surplus Mercury? 6 Need to manage surplus mercury  storage  disposal National / regional demand for products & proceses National/ regional surplus Elemental Hg & Hg compounds like calomel

Important Sources of Surplus mercury 7 Export Non –ferrous metal production (zinc, gold) Decommis- sioning of mercury cells (chlor alkali) End of life products Contaminated sites Oil & gas industry Elemental mercury Mercury compounds Mercury contaminated material Mercury added products Primary waste type

8 How Much Surplus Mercury Will Have to be Managed in South/ South East and East Asia? (Concorde 2009) Main assumptions: VCM production: decrease of consumption after 2015 Zinc smelting: strong increase of Hg recovery between now an 2030 Alternative scenario: 7,500 t (reduced supply for ASM) Regional surplus 5,500 t ( ) Possibly national surpluses ? ?  Management options for surplus mercury?  AIT/RRCAP study (2010)

Governments agreed to:  NEGOTIATIONS - Elaborate a legally binding instrument on mercury, which could include both binding and voluntary approaches in parallel with  INTERIM ACTIVITIES - Accelerated voluntary action on mercury with the Global Mercury Partnership as one of the key delivery vehicles UNEP GC decision 25/5 Para 25

(a)Objectives; (b)(b) Reduction of supply and enhance capacity for sound storage; (c) Reduction of demand; (d) Reduction of international trade; (e) Reduction of atmospheric emissions; (f) Waste and remediation of contaminated sites; (g) Increasing knowledge; (h) Capacity-building and technical and financial assistance; (i) Compliance. Para 27 – Instrument to include provisions on:

Para 34 – Existing work UNEP to continue and enhance, as part of international action on mercury, existing work in the following areas: ( a)Enhancing capacity for mercury storage; (b)Reducing supply of mercury from, f.ex. primary mercury mining; (c)Conducting awareness ‑ raising and pilot projects in key countries to reduce mercury use in artisanal and small ‑ scale gold mining; (d)Reducing mercury use in products and processes and raising awareness of mercury ‑ free alternatives; (e)Providing information on BAT and BEP and on conversion of mercury-based processes to non-mercury based processes; (f)Enhancing development of national inventories on mercury; (g)Raising public awareness and supporting risk communication; (h)Providing information on sound management of mercury.

INC 2, Chiba, Japan, Jan Affirmed the importance and noted that the issue of mercury storage is inherently related to issues of supply and demand Delegates said that interim storage projects should be undertaken in the short term While long term plans and policies are being developed

Asia Mercury Storage Project Objective: prevent reentry of mercury as a commodity to the global market and find environmentally sound storage solutions for excess elemental mercury Activities and Output: Inception workshop: March 2009, Bangkok Assessment Report of Excess Mercury Supply in Asia Options for the safe long term storage- above ground, below ground, export to foreign country Creation of the project executive committee (India, Japan, Nepal, PNG,,ZMWG (Ban Toxics) Pakistan, Indonesia, Phil)

14 AIT/RRCAP Options Study for Asia and the Pacific: Findings Considered OptionRecommendation Aboveground warehouse storage of elemental mercury Preferred option – in desert area Underground storage of elemental mercury Not considered implementable due to lack of salt deposits and high costs Export to another regionPreferred option

Findings of the Asia Pacific study Legal framework required to regulate storage obligation, site selection, licensing, operation and liability Need for bi- and multilateral agreements to arrange relationships between countries that export and countries that store mercury. In Addition: ‘Interim’ storage facilities to be located at the place of still operating Industrial plants 15

AIT – Study: Points for Discussion –Specification of Terms “Storage” sensu strictu = temporary measure “Disposal” = ultimate decision to dispose of and eliminate waste from the biosphere permanently –Geological and Climatic Aspects Availability of geological formations Exclusive prerequisite of dry atmospheric conditions Overall concept of underground disposal –Cost Aspects Rough estimation (several tens of millions US-$) vs. designation of single $ 16

AIT – Study: Points for Discussion (contd.) –Export Not an exhaustive concept Temporary or otherwise limited measure applicable under certain conditions –Glossary Definitions for terms which do not play a major role Essential terms are partly missing, e.g. –“storage”, –“long-term”, –“disposal” 17

The UNEP mercury storage projects: gaps and needs Other waste disposal issues: Management of Hg containing tailings not addressed Little information on other mercury containing waste types (quantity, types, treatment, disposal) Up-to-date description of stabilization, permanent, temporary storage options in Basel Guidelines Support development of appropriate legislation on Hg waste management (e.g. regulatory toolkit) Guidance for management of stockpiles of Hg commodities and products Terminology 18

Mercury waste: disposal Separate collection of mercury waste Cambodia: thermometers in hospitals Indonesia: lamps Safely stored in temporary storage facilities, but how long is temporary?  urgent need for treatment/ disposal facilities

Revised Options Analysis of mercury storage in Asia and the Pacific 20

Areas Where the Asia Options Study Could be Improved 21 1.Outline of Technical concepts 2.Presence of Geological formations potentially suitable for storage facilities 3.Geo-environmental hazards 4.Country-specific and regional agreements on import/export 5.Information on the economics of hazardous waste management/ cost estimates for underground disposal 6.Potential benefits of stabilization 7.Evaluate feasibility of options based on new findings

Goal of Revised Study –Identify and fill in the information gaps –Collect additional information –Identify technical options –Provide recommendations for further work towards the long term storage of elemental mercury 22

23 Asia Storage Project Execom Terms of Reference To catalyze regional action in order to address excess mercury in Asia To explore options and other related issues in addressing excess mercury supply in Asia taking into consideration costs and benefits, social and political acceptability, technical and environmental factors, public health, infrastructure, regulatory requirements and site selection To communicate project issues and concerns to governments and stakeholders in the Asian region, and to convene meetings as needed to facilitate progress toward an Asian storage solution To recommend appropriate legislation/policies consistent with the establishment of a terminal storage facility

Terimah Kasih UNEP Chemicals Desiree Montecillo Narvaez Programme Officer Mercury and other Metals Programme Webpage: 24