Introduction to terms relevant to discussion of mercury storage and disposal Sven Hagemann GRS Asia...
-
Upload
eugene-green -
Category
Documents
-
view
215 -
download
0
Transcript of Introduction to terms relevant to discussion of mercury storage and disposal Sven Hagemann GRS Asia...
Introduction to terms relevant to discussion of
mercury storage and disposal
Sven HagemannGRS
Asia Pacific (AP) Regional Mercury Storage ProjectExecutive Committee (Execom) Meeting
29-30 July 2011, Surabaya, Indonesia
Goal of the “Introduction to Terms”
Describe terms and concepts used in the discussion of storage and disposal of mercury and mercury waste
• Identify terms currently in use• Describe and explain terms and underlying concepts based on
current practices or how the term is commonly used.• List definitions, where available, from the Basel Convention
The “Introduction to Terms” is for background information only.Descriptions and definitions shall not pre-empt discussion at INCNevertheless, the glossary may serve as a basis to start with
Methodology
1. List relevant terms. Sources: UNEP studies, reports and documents presented at or prepared for mercury OEWG 1,
OEWG 2, PREP-INC, INC-1, INC-2, UNEP Governing Council 24th and 25th sessions Basel Convention, decisions and (draft) Technical Guidelines Other relevant literature
2. Group similar and synonymous terms
3. Describe terms and concepts as they are currently used (independent of their legal relevance, consistency or compatibility)
4. Mention definitions from the Basel Convention or its Technical Guidelines, where availab
5. Definitions• Definitions were taken from existing conventions (Basel, Stockholm, Rotterdam, Montreal) as
appropriate
• Otherwise, proposals presented on the basis of other sources (national/regional legislation, relevant literature) or combination thereof
• Descriptions and explanations were added if definitions seemed to leave room for interpretation
• Proposal made which term or terms could be further used and which terms could be avoided
4
1 Introduction to terms and concepts
1.1 Mercury
Mercury is a chemical element, naturally occurring in
nature in the form of mercury ores like cinnabar, but
sometimes is also a minor component of other natural
resources like metal ores (e.g. gold, zinc, copper) or natural
gas. Mercury has been in use for over two thousand years,
either as elemental mercury or as mercury compounds.
What is elemental mercury?
Mercury in its elemental form is a liquid metal in a wide
temperature range (–38 to 356 °C). The silver liquid found in
some fever thermometers is a good example of elemental
mercury. Elemental mercury has a valence of zero.
Other frequently used terms are Hg(0), liquid mercury, metallic mercury, ,quicksilver, liquid silver, hydrargum, colloidal mercury, azogue.
What is commodity mercury?
Elemental mercury which meets the specifications or quality
parameters for use in a product or process is the normal form in
which elemental mercury is traded on the open market. In some
documents, such mercury is declared as ‘commodity mercury’ or
‘mercury as a commodity’ to emphasize the difference to
elemental mercury that is considered waste. Normally, commodity
mercury is produced and stored for the purpose of later sale for
use in products and processes. In certain cases, the sale of
governmental stocks of commodity mercury is no longer allowed. Today in many countries the
use of mercury and its compounds is restricted or controlled. It is important to note that mercury
is restricted or controlled either as a commodity or a waste. The distinction between commodity
and waste is made by national legislation.
Frequently, if elemental mercury is not declared waste, no qualifier is used, so that the simple
term ‘mercury’ would mean that it is considered a commodity.
Terms in this section:
Mercury
Elemental mercury
Commodity mercury
Mercury compounds
Primary, secondary and by-product mercury
Excess or surplus mercury
Amalgams
Mercury added products
Fig. 1: Liquid elemental mercury
Fig. 2: Commodity mercury in
flasks stacked on a pallet
General introduction
Overview on terms in this chapter
Description of terms in the form of questions and answers (Q&A)
Illustrations
Brief discussion of simliar terms
Four Groups of terms
1. Mercury
2. Mercury waste
3. Mercury waste management
4. Storage and disposal
6
Mercury
• Commodity• Waste
Legal Status
• Elemental mercury• Mercury compound• Amalgam• Mercury added
product
Chemical Form/ Use
• Primary mercury• Secondary mercury• By-product mercury
Source
• Surplus mercury
Market Demand
“Types” Of Mercury
Mercury Waste
Waste of Elemental Mercury
Waste Containing Mercury
End-of-life ProductsWaste from Industrial Processes
Extraction
Environmentally Sound Management of
Mercury Waste (Basel Technical Guidelines)
Collection/ TransportTemporary StorageStabilizationFinal disposal
Elemental Mercury That is Considered Waste)*
Commodity Mercury and Mercury Compounds
Elemental Mercury and Compounds Not Considered Waste
Environmentally Sound Management of
commodities
TransportUseStorage
By national definition or choice of owner
Mercury added products
End-Of-Life
Commodities
e.g. Measuring DevicesBatteriesLamps
Recovery/ Recycling
Options for the management of mercury
Waste
Hazardous waste
Mercury waste
Waste consisting of mercury
Waste contaminated with mercury
Waste containing mercury
Classification:Basel ConventionOEWG VII (2010)
Basel Convention:Substances or objectes […] intended/ required for disposal
Basel Convention:a) Wastes listed in Annex I of BCb) By national definition
End of life products,stabilized mercury
Elemental mercury
Everything else
Wastemanagement
Environementally sound management (ESM) of
hazardous waste
Chemical stabilization
Waste stabilisation/ solidification
BC: Collection, storage, treatment, transport, disposal, after-care of disposal sites
BC: taking all practicable steps to ensure that human health and the environment are protected against the adverse effects […]
Microencapsulation
Macroencapsulation
Embedment in an inert matrix
Coverage with impermeable material
Chemical transformation
Storage
Disposal
On the way to “Storage”
10
Storage
of waste
Storage of
commoditiesTemporary
Storage
Warehouse storage
Permanent
storageUnderground storage
Preliminary Storage
Long-term
management
and storage
The Right Way to “Storage”
11
Storage of waste
Storage of commodities
Temporary Storage
Warehouse storage
Permanentstorage
Underground storage
Preliminary Storage
Long-term management and storage
„Storage“
Type of stored mercury
Commodity Waste
Type of Storage facility
Above ground Underground
The Right Way to “Storage”
12
Storage of waste
Storage of commodities
Temporary Storage
Permanentstorage
Preliminary Storage
Type of stored mercury
Commodity WasteStorage of waste before collection (e.g. by owner/ producer)
Storage of waste before treatment/ final disposal/ recycling
Final disposal, e.g. in underground mines
Storage of products and goods for later use or sale
The Right Way to “Storage”
13
Warehouse storage
Underground storage
Long-term management and storage
Type of Storage facility
Above ground Underground
US concept of storing elemental Hg in warehouses for up to 40 years or more
Final disposal (permanent storage) of mercury waste in underground mines
Storage of mercury (waste or non-waste) in aboveground warehouses
14
Disposal in the Basel Convention
Disposal
„Disposal“ in the narrower sense (as often commonly used)
Recycling, recovery
“Final Disposal”
Storage of waste
Treatment of waste
Specially engineered landfill
Permanent storage
Operations which do not lead to recycling, recovery, re-use
Discarding a material or waste so that this is no longer used in its initial form
Other