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MERCURY REDUCTION IN PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES: A REVIEW OF THE ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC INDUSTRIES
Citation:
Randall*, P M. MERCURY REDUCTION IN PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES: A REVIEW OF THE ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC INDUSTRIES. Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy. Wiley InterScience, Silver Spring, MD, 14(4):232-239, (1995).
Impact/Purpose:
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Description:
The electrical and electronics industries have significantly reduced the amount of mercury from various products and processes. However, the unique electromechanical and photoelectronic properties of mercury and mercury compounds have made replacement of mercury difficult in some applications. This paper identifies many of the source reduction and recycling alternatives for mercury in electrical and electronic applications and reviews the usage trends for mercury in the U.S. Data suggests that U.S. companies have clearly decreased the amount of mercury over the past 10 years; the most significant change has occurred in batteries with a 99% decline in mercury use. For products where the photoelectronic properties of mercury are important (e.g., electric lighting), a recycling infrastructure is developing. One potential problematic area may be the use of mercury in semiconductors where mercury may be difficult to recycle and may generate a large quantity of waste relative to mercury use.
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MERCURY REDUCTION IN PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES: A REVIEW OF THE ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC INDUSTRIES