Mercury Technical Briefing Abstract
6 June 2010 from 9.00 in Stockholm, Sweden
This insert provides abstracts of presentations to be made at the mercury technical briefing.
Mercury in Products and Processes
Mercury and the Health Care Sector
Mercury use in health care includes thermometers, blood pressure (and other limited) measuring devices, dental amalgam, and vaccines. Although the Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety for limited mercury usein certain vaccines (as a preservative) still stands, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the phase out of mercury thermometers and mercury blood pressure measuring devices. WHO has recently field tested and validatedan affordable,mercury-free solar-powered blood pressure measuring device and is jointly implementing a successful global initiative with Health Care without Harm to substitute mercury-based medical devices. For dental amalgam, a Global Phase Down / Preventative Approach is being explored through the Global Mercury Partnership.
Presented by:
Carolyn Vickers, World Health Organization (WHO)
Overview of the Government-Industry Chlor Alkali Partnership in India
The plan for control of mercury emissions from the chlor-alkali sector in India, developed through a Government-Industry partnership Corporate Responsibility on Environmental Protection (CREP), is on target to convert all mercury-cell plants to membrane cell process by 2012. A summary of the achievements of the conversion of the chlor-alkali sector in India will be provided.
Presented by:
Y.R. Singh, Alkali Manufacturers’ Association of India (AMAI)
Mercury Storageand Waste
Strategic Framework for Storage of Elemental Mercury & Technical Concepts
Policy makers at the national level face complex decisions in dealing with excess supply of elemental mercury requiring safe long term storage. A simple guide entitled “A suggested framework for decision making for the safe management of redundant mercury” is available. Information on technical storage concepts will also be provided, includingabove ground storage facilities, underground storage facilitiesas well as mercury solidification and stabilization techniques.
Presented by:
John Holmes, Integrating Knowledge to Inform Mercury Policy (IKIMP)
Sven Hagemann Gesellschaft fur Anlagen-und Reaktorsicherheit mbH (GRS)
Update on the Basel Waste Guidelines
The Basel Convention Technical Guidelines on environmentally sound management of all forms of mercury waste are under development and are available to assist governments. The fifth draft was discussed at the 7th meeting of the Basel Convention Open Ended Working Group in May 2010. A report on progress and next steps will be provided.
Presented by:
Ibrahim Shafii, Basel Convention Secretariat
Mercury and Mining
Initial Results from Artisanal and Small Scale Gold Mining Strategic Planning Activities
One of the priority actions of the Artisanal and Small Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) partnership area is to support government efforts in setting national objectives and reduction targets for mercury use in ASGM. The purpose of the strategic planning is to assess ASGM situations nationally, review what activities have been done and/or are on-going, and to develop integrated strategies and synergies moving forward. Initial results and next steps for regional strategic planning projects in Asia, South America and Africa will be presented.
Presented by:
Ludovic Bernaudat, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
Susan Keane, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
Working Together – Large and Small Scale Miners
The International Council on Metals and Mining (ICMM) released the document 'Working Together: How large scale mining can interact with artisanal and small scale miners’ in February 2010. This document brings together for the first time a number of approaches and tools for companies to engage with artisanal and small-scale mining. It was developed through a partnership between the World Bank’s Communities and Small-Scale Mining (CASM), the International Finance Corporation Community Development Fund and the ICMM.
Presented by:
Benjamin Davies, International Council on Mining & Metals (ICMM)
Paragraph 29 Study and Mercury Emissions from Coal
Introduction and Progress Report on the Study of Mercury Emitting Sources (Paragraph 29-Study)
A progress report on the ‘Study on Mercury Emitting Sources’ (Paragraph 29-study) is to be presented, including updated emission inventories (withtrends), technical characteristics of the selected sectors, cost and efficiencies described for various emission controls in example facilities, scenarios for different options of emission controls and associated costs and efficiencies in selected sectors. The study is currently heavily relying upon information from open literature. In order for UNEP to develop a more comprehensive study, complementary government input is encouraged.
Presented by:
Gunnar Futsaeter (UNEP)
John Munthe (IVL Sweden)
Mercury Emissions From Coal – Process Optimization Guidance Document
Governments face technical decisions in policy making when considering the most appropriate options to reduce mercury emissions from coal fired power plants. A process optimization guidance tool has been developed to support plant managers and governments to determine the most appropriate options. The final form of the document will be available at the end of 2010 after it has been discussed by experts in four targeted countries: China, India, Russian Federation and South Africa.
Presented by:
Lesley Sloss, IEA Clean CoalCenter (IEA CCC)
Initial Results From China on the Coal Project: “Reducing Mercury Emissions from Coal Combustion in the Energy Sector”
Substantial information on the coal-fired power sector in China has been collected. An overview and technical description of this sector will be presented, and will include information on various pollution control technologies and mercury concentration from analyses of samples from various coals used in power plants. Based on this information, a new inventory of mercury emissions from the coal power sector has been developed.
Presented by:
Dr. Shuxiao Wang, TsinghuaUniversity (Beijing, China)