Mercury Reduction Initiatives in Waste Management: Strategies and Updates

1. Presentations May 23 – 25, 2005 Portland, Maine For related information visit: http://www.newmoa.org/prevention/mercury/conferences

2. Mercury in Wastes & Products Hugh Davis US EPA, OSW May 23, 2005

3. Activities • National Partnership for Environmental Priorities (NPEP) • NPEP Mercury Challenge • Auto Switches • Universal Waste Rule • Dental Gray Bags • Lamps: Drum Top Crushing • Schools Cleanout Campaign • Disposal/Storage Study • Surplus Mercury • Mining Releases

4. National Partnership for Environmental Priorities (NPEP) • Partners set voluntary goals for reducing priority chemicals in waste • Formerly “Waste Minimization Partnership Program.” • Examples of mercury partners: • Bowling Green University • Navy Dentists

5. NPEP, Continued • Recent Initiative: Eliminating/reducing mercury in products • Working w/Regions and States • Spreadsheets: info on companies, contacts, mercury volume, product categories • Seeking NPEP partners to: substitute or increase market share of mercury-free alternatives, reduce mercury use, initiate take-back programs, educate/outreach to consumers • Also seeking retailers as partners • Primary focus: switches, relays, thermostats, thermometers

6. NPEP Mercury Challenge • Promotes replacing mercury-containing equipment in a plant with non-mercury alternatives • About 2000 metric tons in use in equipment in US • Modeled after EPA Region 5 Examples • Bethlehem Steel & US Steel • Consumers Energy Company • We Energies

7. Auto Switch Project • Goal: reduce mercury emitted from electric arc furnaces that melt auto scrap. Seeking multi-stakeholder national switch collection partnership • In 2005, propose standards for air pollutants, including mercury, from electric arc furnaces • Amending CWA Best Management Practices for storm water pollution prevention plans to prevent potential mercury releases at auto dismantlers and scrap recyclers • Developing website to consolidate information on state mercury switch programs to aid states that are developing programs

8. Universal Waste Rule • Final rule to add mercury-containing equipment (MCE) to the federal Universal Waste Rule. • Examples of MCE: manometers, barometers, flow meters, mercury light switches, mercury regulators, pressure relief gauges, water treatment gauges, and gas safety relays • Facilitates entry into the waste management system, encourages recovery and recycling, and keeps wastes out of the municipal wastestream. • Just cleared OMB, will go to the Administrator for signature next.

9. Dental Gray Bag Project • Goal: promote safe recycling of dental amalgam waste in approx. 100,000 dentist offices across the country • Develop voluntary consensus standard for storage/shipping of waste amalgam • Partnerships under NPEP Program • Build on state/local programs

10. Lamps: Drum Top Crushing • Shipping crushed lamps is much cheaper than whole lamps • EPA Region 3 conducted study of crushers; currently in peer review • When the study report is completed, we expect to issue guidance on DTC

11. Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign (SC3) • Summer 2004 – EPA launched SC3 to: • Remove dangerous chemicals from K-12 schools; • Prevent future stockpiles and reduce accidents through best management practices • Raise national awareness of the problem. • Pilots are taking place in 10 EPA Regions

12. Market-Based Approach for Environmental Gain • Change customer-supplier relationship • Typical: profit based on units sold - customer-supplier goals differ • “Servicizing:” profit based on quality of services – goals align • Benefits: reduced chemical use, less toxic products, reduced waste, enhanced recycling • Pilot – combining chemical management services and resource management services • Pilot is with the Lansing Public School District • Currently creating baseline to use in developing business case • Expect findings July/August ‘05

13. Disposal/Storage Study For Elemental Mercury • Study evaluates three treatment technologies with monofill disposal vs. storage of elemental mercury • Numerous treatment/disposal technology and cost criteria evaluated using “Expert Choice” software • Results: More cost effective to store elemental mercury until improved treatment technologies are developed • Final Report has been peer reviewed by EPA

14. Surplus Mercury • EPA is planning, with other Agencies, to initiate a process with technical experts and interested parties to: • Better understand policy and economic issues • Discuss options for addressing expected mercury surpluses

15. Mining Releases • Mercury contamination is associated with several mining practices • 2002 TRI data show that 45 mines “released” 2034 metric tons of mercury to land • These “releases” are primarily waste rock piles and tailings ponds • EPA is starting a project to further investigate these releases

16. How to Reach me • Hugh Davis Chief, Waste Treatment Branch Office of Solid Waste USEPA (703) 306-0206 davis.hugh@epa.gov

17. Presentations May 23 – 25, 2005 Portland, Maine

18. U.S. EPA Rules and other Actions to Reduce Mercury Air Emissions by Charles French U.S. E.P.A. Office of Air Quality Planning & Standards May 23, 2005 Portland, Maine

19. Framework for Establishing Rules to Reduce/Limit Mercury Emissions • Clean Air Act (Sections 112 and 129) • National regulations based primarily on Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) • Section 129 – for Solid Waste Incineration • Covers 9 pollutants, including mercury • Section 112 – for other source categories • Covers 188 hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), including mercury

20. U.S. Mercury Emissions Estimates (tons per year)* * Estimates based on EPA’s National Emissions Inventory (NEI) ** Other Categories includes Portland Cement, Pulp & Paper, and many other categories, but does not include Gold Mining.

21. Facilities Emitting Mercury in 1999 Alaska Based on 1999 NEI data Hawaii

22. Mercury Point Sources - 1999 Alaska Hawaii Note: There are 21,365 facilities in the 1999 NEI that emit mercury. This map shows the 3,600 facilities that emit > 0.0001 tons/year.

23. Municipal Waste Combustors (MWCs) • Rules issued in year 1995 for “large” MWCs, and in 2000 for “small” MWCs • Large MWCs completed compliance in 2000, small MWCs must comply by 12/2005 • For large MWCs, mercury emissions reduced from about 45 tons per year (tpy) in 1990 to 2 tpy in 2000 (95% reduction) • For small MWCs, expect emissions will be reduced from about 12 tpy in 1990 to 0.4 tpy by end of 2005 (96% reduction)

24. Medical Waste Incineration • Rule issued in 1997 for new & existing facilities • Compliance was required by 2002 • Emissions reduced from about 50 tons in 1990 to 1.6 tons in 1999 (97% reduction) • Preliminary 2002 NEI data indicate total emissions for 2002 = about 0.2 tons (~99% reduction from 1990) • Significant number of MWIs have closed • About 2400 facilities in 1997 • About 100 facilities remain in 2004

25. Trends in Mercury Air Emissions (tpy) for MWIs & MWCs based on NEI 50 57 1.6 0.2 5 4

26. Chlor-alkali Production Using the Mercury-Cell Technology • Initial Rule for mercury emissions published in 1973 • Due to the initial Rule and other actions (including the US/Canada Great Lakes Binational Toxics Strategy) industry has made significant progress reducing mercury use and emissions • Industry reduced use by about 69% since 1990, under a voluntary agreement; and • Emissions decreased by about 30% from 1990 to 1999

27. Chlor-alkali Production (continued) • New Rule published in December 2003 • Prohibits mercury emissions from new or reconstructed mercury-cell chlor-alkali plants • Existing plants are subject to emission limits on process vents • Stringent workplace standards are required to reduce fugitive emissions from cell rooms

28. Chlor-alkali Production (continued) • In February 2004, NRDC filed a petition for reconsideration of the final rule • NRDC stated that EPA should have established more stringent requirements for cell room fugitive emissions • In April 2004 EPA granted NRDC’s petition for reconsideration of the rule • EPA is conducting a monitoring study to better quantify fugitive emissions from cell rooms

29. Industrial Gold Mining • Mostly in Nevada • Process ores using various techniques (crushing, roasting, cyanide leaching...) to extract gold • Mercury is present in ores in levels ranging from about 1 to 200 ppm • Mercury is released during process

30. Industrial Gold Mining (cont) • Emissions data became available in 1998 • About 11.5 tons mercury emitted in 1999 • Majority (about 10 tons) were from 5 “biggest” mines in Nevada • Voluntary Agreement (EPA Region 9, Nevada, & Industry) signed in 2002, to reduce emissions from these 5 mines • MACT equivalent track • Process modification track • Emissions reduced to about 3 tons by 2003 (based on data reported to Voluntary Program)

31. Industrial Gold Mining (cont) • January 2005, EPA received an “intent to suit” letter and petition from Idaho Conservation League, Earthworks, & Great Basin Mine Watch • Stated that EPA should list this category for regulation under Section 112 of the Clean Air Act • Have not yet filed suit • EPA is evaluating industry further to gain a better understanding of sources, processes, emissions and controls, and to determine whether or not additional action(s) might be warranted…

32. Industrial/Commercial Boilers • Burn coal (or other substances) to generate electricity or heat for factories, institutions, malls, etc. • MACT Rule Promulgated in 2004, compliance due by 2007 • Includes emission limits for mercury (and other HAPs) • Expect to reduce mercury emissions from 11 tpy (baseline) to about 9 tpy by 2007

33. Hazardous Waste Combustor MACT Rule • 5 industry sectors that combust hazardous waste will be subjected to MACT standards • incinerators, cement kilns, lightweight aggregate kilns, industrial boilers, and hydrochloric acid production furnaces • Will regulate mercury, and other pollutants • EPA plans to “sign” final rule by 9/14/05, a court-enforced deadline

34. Steel Manufacturing - Electric Arc Furnaces (EAFs) • About 94 small steel mills (minimills) that melt steel scrap in 143 electric arc furnaces (EAF) • Minimills account for roughly half of US steel production (~50 million tons per year) • Mercury emissions from this industry are about 10 tpy (based on test data collected between 1998-2002) • Mercury comes from components containing mercury that are not removed from the scrap

35. Steel EAFs (continued) • Much of the mercury is from components containing mercury found in automobile scrap (e.g., convenience light switches and anti-lock brake systems) • Automobile manufacturers no longer use mercury in convenience light switches • Best control is to remove components containing mercury from scrap before it is shredded/melted • EPA is developing a rule for proposal that will limit HAP emissions (including mercury)

36. Coal-Fired Power Plants – Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR) • CAMR will build on EPA’s Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) to significantly reduce emissions from coal-fired power plants. • Federal rule to permanently cap and reduce mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants. • When fully implemented, mercury emissions will be reduced from 48 to 15 tpy (nearly 70%). • CAMR creates a market-based cap-and-trade program that will reduce emissions of mercuryin two phases.

37. CAMR (continued) • First phase cap = 38 tons by year 2010 • Emissions reduced through “co-benefit” achieved by reducing SO2 & NOx under CAIR • In 2018, plants will be subject to a second phase cap, which will reduce emissions to 15 tons. • Modeling indicates that CAIR will significantly reduce emissions that deposit in the U.S. • The CAMR will further reduce mercury emissions that are transported regionally or globally

38. CAMR (continued) • New plants will have to meet new source performance standards in addition to being subject to the caps. • CAMR provides an emission allocation to each State and Indian country with coal-fired generation in 1999. • Allows States flexibility on how to achieve the required reductions.

39. Projected Trends in NEI Air Emissions - CAMR 210 tpy 112 tpy tpy 78 tpy

40. Where to get more information and references • For general EPA information visit: • http://www.epa.gov/mercury/ • For air emissions inventory information: • http://www.epa.gov/ttn/chief • For air toxics regulations: • http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/eparules.html • References: • Menne, D. M. 1998, “Mercury in Gold Processing” – Volume I: Metallurgy. • Booz Allen & Hamilton, Inc., “Mercury Mass Balance and Emissions Factor Estimates for Gold Ore Processing Facilities.” Draft Report. January 14, 2001