Study on Treatment and Recycling of Mercury from Waste Mercury Catalysts in China

CCP PVC production is the unique technology in China that consumes most mercury with annual consumption of nearly 10,000 t, about 70% of them entering waste mercuric chloride catalyst. The main supply of mercury for CCP PVC industry includes the production of primary mercury and recycling of waste mercuric chloride catalyst. The production of primary mercury will be constrained and phased out after the Minamata Convention on Mercury going into effect. Therefore, the recycling of waste mercuric chloride catalysts will be an important supply source of mercury before the phasing out of mercury in CCP PVC industry. Based on the investigation of current status of CCP PVC production and recycling of waste mercuric catalysts industry, this paper analyzes mercury content of waste mercuric chloride catalysts and mercury recycling rate of waste mercury catalyst recycling industry, and estimates less than 50% of cyclic use of mercury in CCP PVC industry. In view of low cyclic use rate of mercury and excessive production capacity of the industry, this paper puts forward policy recommendations in the following three areas such as strict implementation of mercury destiny reporting system, stricter management of environmental access conditions and demonstration and extension of close loop circulation mechanism of mercury.