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Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Answer

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many tonnes of waste mercury were produced in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02 and (d) 2002-03; and how much of this was recycled. [206782] Mr. Morley: A key source of mercury waste arises from the chlor-alkali industry. Annual figures for the three UK mercury cell chlor-alkali plants for the years in question are set out in table 1. Large amounts of mercury will no longer be required when mercury cell plants are decommissioned, although this mercury is pure enough to be re-used without further treatment. Mercury can be present in waste arising from a range of other industries, including from power generation, and mining activities, although there are no aggregated national figures available for these. Mercury is also present in used dental amalgam, some forms of lighting equipment, certain thermometers, thermostats, manometers, some batteries, switches and relays, although the use in all these applications is declining. Implementation of the WEEE Directive and the hazardous waste regulations should encourage the greater recovery and recycling of mercury from these sources. Table 1: Mercury disposal and emissions from UK chlor-alkali plant1 kilogrammes _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Mercury in safely deposited wastes 1999 4,109 2000 3,408 2001 3,252 2002 10,994 2003 21,484 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1 This includes all mercury-contaminated materials, such as cell components, process equipment, solid wastes from sumps, pits, demercurisation units and the brine purification process, which have been sent to authorised and properly controlled waste disposal sites.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

206782; 429 c1048-9W

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Hazardous substances Waste disposal Waste Mercury

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk