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7
MERCURY – TIME TO ACT
UNINTENDED EMISSIONS
– In relation to the use of mercury in some compact fluores-
cent lamps, at this stage, no affordable and available alterna-
tive is currently available at the global level. Nonetheless, we
need to be working to phase these out and push the market
towards alternatives. In the interim, it should also be noted
that, where power is generated by coal combustion, the
provision of energy efficient lighting can result in significant
reductions in the emissions of mercury through decreased
power consumption, which may (even with mercury-contain-
ing fluorescent lamps) result in a lower net mercury release or
emission to the environment. The effects on the environment
of mercury-containing products such as these lamps can also
be minimized by the implementation of environmentally
sound management of mercury-containing waste. Waste
separation programmes and recycling activities are able to
reduce the mercury made available to the environment from
such products.
– VCM using the mercury process is another where there is
no commercially viable alternative at this point in time. The
demand for polyvinyl chloride is very high in some countries,
particularly where there are extensive building projects, and
in some countries the viable sources of raw materials for VCM
mean that mercury use is needed. Nonetheless, measures to
minimize emissions and releases should be applied immedi-
ately, as well as a plan for eventual phasing out as alternatives
are found. It is my expectation that, over time, all of these uses
will become increasingly limited, and eventually will cease.
About half of the global anthropogenic mercury emis-
sions come from the burning of coal, metals production
and the production of cement.What concretemechanisms
exist to address this?
– The control of mercury emissions from major sources has
been one of the key areas of discussion in the intergovern-
mental negotiations. Various mechanisms and approaches to
reduce mercury emissions have been discussed and discus-
sions continue on a variety of measures including the use of
best available techniques and best environmental practices,
the use of emission limit values, the establishment of national
goals and the use of national implementation plans to set out
action plans for managing emissions. It should also be recog-
nized that many countries already have controls in place to
reduce mercury emissions – either as stand-alone controls, or
as part of a multipollutant strategy.
“Our main aim is
to reduce or eliminate
anthropogenic
emissions and releases
of mercury.”