Dirección Nacional de Medio Ambiente Mercury Storage and Disposal LAC Two Countries Project Inception workshop Waste, sites and legal framework Beatriz Olivet

Mercury and mercury waste in Uruguay Industry sector Health sector General waste Present SW Future SW (chlor-alkali dismantling) Lamps Batteries Switches Thermometers Others Thermometers Amalgam Sphygmomanometers Probes Others

Present waste Mercury emission inventory in the industrial sector Energy transformation facilities included Refinery facility included Use of equipment (ex. Manometers, thermometers) not included Intentional use of mercury in industry (chlor-alkali plant) as the principal source Project: “Minimization and environmentally sound management of mercury containing waste in Latin America and the Caribbean ”

Mercury emission inventory in the industrial sector 2009 Source categories Exists Calculated Hg output, Kg/y Comentaries 5.1 Extraction and use of fuels/energy sources s 47,2 Industry, energy transformation ande energry generation facilities included 5.2 Primary (virgin) metal production 29,5 Gold extraction and purification 5.3 Production of other minerals and materials with mercury impurities 150,8 Cement, lime and paper pulp sectors 5.4 Intentional use of mercury in industrial processes 1.140,0 Chlor-alkali industry 5.5 Consumer products with intentional use of mercury 10,4 Timerosal use in local produced vaccines 5.6 Other intentional product / process use n/a - Not included 5.7 Production of recycled metals ("secondary" metal production) 1,7 Ferrous metal recycling was evaluated 5.8 Waste incineration 10,5 Medical waste 5.9 Waste deposition/landfilling and waste water treatment 5.10 Crematoria and cemetaries  n/a SUM OF QUANTIFIED RELEASES-INDUSTRY: 1.390  

Mercury emission inventory in the industrial sector 2009 Project: “Minimization and environmentally sound management of mercury containing waste …in Latin America and the Caribbean ... ”

Impurezas en productos Tratamiento sectorial específico Sub-C Categorías de las fuentes Existe? (y/n/?) Salidas calculadas de mercurios, Kg/año   Comentarios Aire Agua Tierra Impurezas en productos Desechos generales Tratamiento sectorial específico 5.1 Extracción y uso de combustibles y fuentes de energía 5.1.2 Otros usos del carbón y 0,1 - Uso metalúrgico en reciclado de metales 5.1.3 Extracción, refinación y uso de petróleo 27,8 0,7 1,0 No hay extracción. Refinería y uso industrial 5.1.4 Extracción, refinación y uso de gas natural 0,0 Muy bajo consumo. Planes de aumento a futuro. 5.1.6 Energía obtenida por la quema de biomasa 17,6 Leña, residuos de biomasa. No se incluye licor negro por estar en categoría de pulpa y papel. 5.2 Producción primaria de metales 5.2.6 Extracción de oro y procesamiento inicial por métodos distintos que el amalgamamiento con mercurio 0,6 1,2 Extracción de oro en Minas de Corrales, purificación con cianuro. 5.3 Producción de otros minerales y materiales con mercurio como impureza 5.3.1 Producción de cemento 60,1 24,2 2,3 5.3.2 Producción de pulpa y papel 32,6 21,0 6,0 5.3.3 Producción de cal y hornos de agregados ligeros 4,6 5.4 Uso intencional de mercurio en procesos industriales 5.4.1 Plantas de producción de cloro-álcali con tecnología de mercurio 23,8 1.115,0 Planta de cloro-álcali con tecnología de mercurio. 5.5 Productos de consumo con uso intencional de mercurio 5.5.8 Productos farmacéuticos para uso humano y veterinario 5,2 Uso de timerosal en vacunas de uso veterinario 5.5.9 Productos cosméticos y relacionados con mercurio n 5.6 Otros usos intencionales en productos y procesos 5.7 Producción de metales reciclados (producción secundaria) 5.7.2 Producción de metales ferrosos reciclados 0,4 5.7.3 Producción de otros metales reciclados No se cuantificó por falta de información sobre contenido de mercurio 5.8 Incineración de desechos 5.8.2 Incineración de desechos peligrosos Incinerador de residuos peligrosos, principalmente de la industria farmacéutica no fue suficientemente evaluado. 5.8.3 Incineración de desechos médicos Incinerador de residuos de origen hospitalario (no incluye residuos comunes) 5.9 Disposición de desechos/rellenos sanitarios y tratamiento de aguas residuales 5.10 Crematorios y cementerios SUMA DE LIBERACIONES CUANTIFICADAS DE MERCURIO EN LA INDUSTRIA 172,9 27,5 5,6 32,1 8,9 1143,2

Mercury emission inventory in the industrial sector 2009 Scenario of a possible introduction of carbon in the energy matrix (200 MW) and high content  mercury oil Total 1.390 kg Total 1.390 kg Total 1.890 kg Total 1.890 kg

Mercury emission inventory in the industrial sector Release routes

Mercury emission inventory in the industrial 2009 Release routes Air Water Land Impurity in pro-ducts General waste Sector specific treatment/disposal 173 27 6 32 9 1.143 (*) (*) Solid waste containing mercury from the chlorine plant (682kg) were considered sector-specific treatment. Mercury unaccounted (432kg) as well, based on a detailed study since it is estimated that it is divided between the sludge (which have a significant variability) and contained in the system itself. Project: “Minimization and environmentally sound management of mercury containing waste …in Latin America and the Caribbean ... ”

Mercury and mercury waste in Uruguay Industry sector Health sector General waste Present SW Future SW (chlor-alkali dismantling) Thermometers Amalgam Sphygmomanometers Probes Others Lamps Batteries Switches Thermometers Others

Future desmantling of the chlor – alkali facility Mercury containing waste Equipment, building, Abandonment plan proposal Metalic mercury Probable export depending on the progress of negotiations on mercury at the time

Mercury and mercury waste in Uruguay Industry sector Health sector General waste Present SW Future SW (chlor-alkali dismantling) Lamps Batteries Switches Thermometers Others Thermometers Amalgam Sphygmomanometers Probes Others

Pilot inventory in the health sector (1) It was done at the Hospital de Clínicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República Background: between 2006 and 2008, eradication program for clinical thermometers and sphygmomanometers Some findings: The previous intervention was successful.

Pilot inventory in the health sector (2) In 2006, at the HC, sphygmomanometers were repaired  in unsuitable conditions for health and environment. Actually, it may be done in other institutions. There’s a place assigned to keep elemental mercury No more amalgams are used in the HC (except hemophilic patients) There’s no homogeneous criteria about disposal bags to put on mercury containing waste (sharps, infectious, general) Others emissions sources were also irrelevant (manometers, lamps, batteries, chemicals, etc)

Pilot inventory in the health sector (3) General sectorial comments There are programs to replace clinical thermometers and sphygmomanometers with different levels of development Amalgam - more investigation is required.  Medical waste route is in general autoclaving or incineration (infectious waste) or landfill Other hospitals are gathering (conditions?) medical waste containing mercury (like sphymomanometers)

Mercury containing waste in the health sector Posible action lines: Define eradication in applications where mercury use may be replaced Window of opportunity to use the metallic mercury in the chlor-alkali facility. To define / solve Conditions for receiving and tracking waste Equipment contaminated with mercury Considerations Intra-hospital Management - MSP responsibility Infectious hospital waste treatment Incineration Autoclaving

Mercury and mercury waste in Uruguay Industry sector Health sector General waste Present SW Future SW (chlor-alkali dismantling) Thermometers Amalgam Sphygmomanometer Probes Others Lamps Batteries Switches Thermometers Others

Mercury emissions inventory in products Max emissions: 2.033 kg Min emissions: 939 kg Principal release route: general waste. Principal products: switches, amalgams, thermometers, polyurethanes It includes all types of products (used in industry, health sector or general) Project: “Sound mangemente of mercury containing products”

Inventario de emisiones en productos Mercury emissions inventory in products Project: “Sound mangemente of mercury containing products”

Present situation of industrial waste Local government authorized disposal Comparable to USW (not hazardous) Montevideo Sludge / Others Treatment by waste managers and authorized local disposal Disposal site company owned (4): Ferrous metal recycling / paper pulp / tannery/ gold mining tailings  (cyanide purification technology) Collection, waiting for a solution Informal / inadequate Industry disposal site for hazardous waste

Industry disposal site for hazardous waste Industry Chamber (CIU) (1) Project approved by DINAMA Agreement between CIU, Intendencia Montevideo, MVOTMA, MIEM Main Background: Waste Management Plan for the Metropolitan Area of Montevideo  Transitional solution (pending a permanent location)  Objet: site to receive HSW in an environmentally sound manner  4 cells (option for a 5th).   Horizon 4 - 7 years

Industry disposal site for hazardous waste Industry Chamber (CIU) (2) Sludge cells (2) Gas extraction, wet scrubbing. Oxidation with sodium hypochlorite Other waste cells (2) Pasive venting. Leachate treatment - physicochemical or biological Focus on tannery waste representing 2 / 3 of all HSW

Environmental legal framework (1) General municipal Law (1935) – municipal responsibility over urban cleaning and urban solid waste Constitution, article 47 It declares the environmental protection as of “general interest”. Every physical or legal person has the obligation not to affect seriously the environment Law Nº 16.112 (1990) – creation of the Ministry of Housing, Territory and Environment

Environmental legal framework (2) Law 16.221 (1991) Basel Convention Law 17.220 (1999) – it bans the introduction of hazardous waste Law 17.283 (2000) – Environment General Protection Law It declares of general interest the reduction and sound management of chemicals and waste of any kind. Art. 20 – Chemicals Art. 21 – Waste

Environmental legal framework (3) Law 17.296 (2001) Art 401 – Montreal Protocol Art 402 - municipal and MVOTMA responsibilities for the localization of treatment plants and final disposition sites for urban and industrial waste Law 17.593 (2002) – Rotterdam Convention Law 17.732 (2003) – Stockholm Convention

Environmental legal framework (4) Decree 135/999 modified 586/009 – Medical waste Health Ministry: responsible for the waste management inside the medical institutions Environment Ministry: outside the medical institutions Law Nº 16.466 (1994) – Environmental Impact Law Decree 349/005 – Environment impact an environmental authorizations

Environmental legal framework (5) Decree 560/003 – transport of hazardous substances Decree 307/008 – minimal requirements for health protection of workers from chemical risks. Law 18.308 – Land Planning and Sustainable Development Agriculture Ministry Resolution (MGAP 1988) – prohibition of registry and commerce of mercury products in agriculture

Environmental legal framework Partial (6) The national legislation is emerging and heterogeneous There are regulatory gaps and difficulties on definition and scope Lifecycle of the CS not considered Management of general information (registration and availability) not considered There aren’t economic instruments for environmentally sound management Cousillas, M. Presentation, National Workshop on Chemicals Management, UNEP Network -UNEP-DINAMA, December 2010

Environmental legal framework Waste Technical Proposal Not legal but widely used as a guide. It establishes standards for the integrated management of industrial solid waste, agribusiness and services. It defines criteria for acceptance of waste at a disposal site Depending on a basic characterization of the waste Liquid, explosive, corrosive, oxidizing or flammable waste are not allowed 30

Environmental legal framework Waste Technical Proposal Requirements for acceptance in a security cell: Category I (medium and high risk) Considering the Hg as toxic, > 3% m / m Have shown that there is no viable technology for recovery, recycling or treatment. <80% moisture, No free liquids Leaching test according to PTR In the case of Hg 5mg / l

If the waste does not meet the admission requirements for disposal, DINAMA may authorize, as an exception and as a transitional measure, provided that the following conditions are accomplished: It has been technically demonstrated by the generator that is not possible to stabilize or treat the residue to meet established criteria. It has been demonstrated that there’s no viable alternative technologies to make treat and / or recover the mercury. It has been considered whether the cell has sufficient guarantees to accept the entry of the waste

Industrial waste: strategie? Present waste Incluir en la evaluación la posibilidad de tratamiento conjunto con los residuos de productos Define the treatment requirements for entry into a security cell Evaluate costs Take advantage of the opportunity window for the between now and the technology conversion of the chlor-alkali plant. Promote it? Consider the whole pack of residues

Future desmantling of the chlor-alkali plant Definir necesidad de requisitos de tratamiento y disposición de equipos e inmuebles Definir destino del mercurio metálico resultante del desmantelamiento, en función del desarrollo de las negociaciones sobre mercurio Define the need and requirements for treatment and disposal for equipment and buildings contaminated with mercury Define the destination of metallic mercury arising from decommissioning, depending on the progress of negotiations on mercury

Many thanks Beatriz Olivet beatriz. olivet@dinama. gub. uy beatriz Many thanks Beatriz Olivet beatriz.olivet@dinama.gub.uy beatriz.olivet@gmail.com