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ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE AND COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL OF ELEMENTAL MERCURY IN A MONOFILL
Citation:
RANDALL, P. M. ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE AND COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL OF ELEMENTAL MERCURY IN A MONOFILL. Presented at Mercury Roundtable No. 21, Washington, DC, November 29, 2005.
Impact/Purpose:
To discuss studies that were done for assessment of the environmental performance and cost of technologies for the treatment and disposal of elemental mercury in a monofill.
Description:
It has been predicted that there will be a worldwide glut of mercury. The magnitude and timing depends on when the chlor-alkali industry switches from Hg cell technology. Mercury cell plants typically have a working life of 40 to 60 years and no U.S. plant has been built since about 1970. So, it is reasonable to expect that mercury cell operations will be shut down sometime over the next few decades as the remaining plants reach the end of their useful lives. Also, if all of chlor alkali plants in the world shut down, it is estimated that 25-30,000 metric tons of mercury would be available worldwide with 3,000 metric tons in the US (not including the DOD stockpile). Also, within the foreseeable future, the world price of mercury could fall below the cost of shipping and handling. When this occurs, significant supplies of mercury will become economically orphaned and pose a threat of mismanagement, including clandestine dumping and attendant environmental damage. Therefore, strategies must be devised for managing the looming mercury glut. The EPA dilemma is while encouraging reduced use of Hg, what should the policy be on retirement of resulting excess Hg supplies? This presentation will discuss studies that were done for assessment of the environmental performance and cost of technologies for the treatment and disposal of elemental mercury in a monofill.