WEBINAR - Sound management and elimination of mercury and mercury waste in the Chlor-Alkali sector

The Partnership Areas on Mercury cell Chlor-alkali Production and Mercury Waste Management hosted a joint webinar on the sound management and elimination of mercury and mercury waste in the chlor-alkali sector on 16 February 2023.

The chlor‐alkali sector is a particular area of interest for the Minamata Convention, as a large quantity of mercury is involved in mercury‐cell production processes to produce chlorine and caustic soda. The Convention sets the deadline for the phase‐out of mercury use in chlor‐alkali production in 2025, and establishes measures to ensure that excess mercury from decommissioning of chlor-alkali facilities is disposed of in an environmentally sound manner. The Convention also requires Parties to take appropriate measures so that mercury waste is managed in an environmentally sound manner.

Mercury‐free technologies are commercially available and technical and economic information exists to assist industries and governments with the conversion of mercury‐based chlor‐alkali technologies. Though the sector witnesses a global decline in mercury use as mercury-cell facilities age and a number of facilities are closing down or transitioning away from mercury processes, some countries still face technical and financial challenges in converting to mercury-free technologies and managing mercury wastes from this sector in an environmentally sound manner, and these countries would benefit from support from international partners.

The webinar provided participants with key information on techniques, innovative tools and best technologies, including financially viable options for the phase-out of mercury-based technologies and proper management of mercury wastes in the chlor-alkali sector.

Agenda

• Opening Statements – Misuzu Asari, Kyoto University (Japan), Co-lead of the Partnership Area on Mercury Waste Management
• Introduction – Franz Mayer De La Rosa, UNIDO

Mercury-cell Chlor-alkali Production Session

• Overview of the global status of the chlor-alkali sector: focus on Latin America phase-out – Milton Rego, CLOROSUR
• Overview of the financial support available for decommissioning: Mexico GEF project case study – Ramon Jimenez Galicia, UNEP
• Decommissioning of chlor-alkali sites – Matthijs Bouwknegt, TAUW

Waste Management Session

• Securing and dismantling of mercury electrolysis unit: mercury reconditioning operations – Polina Maslova Loques, CURIUM
• The stabilization of mercury and treatment of mercury contaminated wastes from the chlor-alkali industry – David Hunter, BATREC
• Solutions for remediating mercury contaminated sites – Xavier Ibarz, ECON INDUSTRIES

Joint Session

• Specific International Programme to support capacity-building and technical assistance: the Iran case study – Marianne Bailey, Secretariat of the Minamata Convention
• Joint mission of chlor-alkali and waste management partnership areas to Uruguay  – Yayoi Hayashi, OECC  

Closing Statement – Ozunimi Iti, UNIDO, Co-lead of the Partnership Area on Mercury cell Chlor-Alkali Production