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Toolkit for identification and quantification of mercury releases
Pilot draft, November 2005

Table of Contents
 

Executive summary
	
1	Introduction	
	1.1	Background
	1.2	Context of this Toolkit	

2	Mercury inventories and this Toolkit
	2.1	Purpose of mercury inventories
	2.2	Aims of this Toolkit
	2.3	Limitations of this Toolkit
	2.4	Further reading

3	Anthropogenic mercury release sources	
	3.1	Pathways of releases to the environment
	3.2	Examples of mercury releases to different pathways

4	Steps in the creation of a mercury inventory
	4.1	Introduction to the inventory concept
		4.1.1	Life-cycle approach

	4.2	Step 1: Screening matrix; identification of main source 
		categories present

	4.3	Step 2: Identification of sub-categories of sources present
		4.3.1	Extraction and use of fuels/energy sources
		4.3.2	Primary (virgin) metal production
		4.3.3	Production of other minerals and materials with 
			mercury impurities
		4.3.4	Intentional use of mercury in industrial processes
		4.3.5	Consumer products with intentional use of mercury
		4.3.6	Other intentional products/process uses
		4.3.7	Production of recycled metals ("secondary" metal 
			production)
		4.3.8	Waste incineration
		4.3.9	Waste deposition/landfilling and waste water treatment
		4.3.10	Crematoria and cemeteries
		4.3.11	Identification of potential hot-spots

	4.4	Step 3: Data gathering and quantification of mercury releases
		4.4.1	Quantification principles
		4.4.2	Use of activity rates
		4.4.3	Choice of mercury input factors
		4.4.4	Choice of output distribution factors
		4.4.5	Gathering of data
		4.4.6	Balancing inputs and outputs of mercury for control 
			of quantifications
		4.4.7	Examples of calculations of releases from various 
			source types

	4.5	Step 4: Presentation of the inventory
		4.5.1	Key elements of the inventory
		4.5.2	Standard outline
		4.5.3	Spreadsheet for calculating releases
		4.5.4	Suggestions for interim reporting

5	Detailed descriptions of sources of mercury releases and mercury 
	input and output factors

	5.1	Extraction and use of fuels/energy sources
		5.1.1	Coal combustion in large power plants
		5.1.2	Other coal use
		5.1.3	Mineral oils - extraction, refining and use
		5.1.4	Natural gas - extraction, refining and use
		5.1.5	Other fossil fuels - extraction and use
		5.1.6	Biomass fired power and heat production
		5.1.7	Geothermal power production

	5.2	Primary (virgin) metal production
		5.2.1	Mercury extraction and initial processing
		5.2.2	Gold and silver extraction with mercury-amalgamation 
			processes
		5.2.3	Zinc extraction and initial processing
		5.2.4	Copper extraction and initial processing
		5.2.5	Lead extraction and initial processing
		5.2.6	Gold extraction and initial processing by methods 
			other than 	mercury amalgamation
		5.2.7	Aluminum extraction and initial processing
		5.2.8	Other non-ferrous metals - extraction and processing
		5.2.9	Primary ferrous metal production

	5.3	Production of other minerals and materials with mercury impurities
		5.3.1	Cement production
		5.3.2	Pulp and paper production
		5.3.3	Production of lime and light weight aggregates kilns
		5.3.4	Others minerals and materials

	5.4	Intentional use of mercury in industrial processes
		5.4.1	Chlor-alkali production with mercury-technology
		5.4.2	VCM (vinyl-chloride-monomer) production with mercury-dichloride
			(HgCl2) as catalyst
		5.4.3	Acetaldehyde production with mercury-sulphate (HgSO4) 
			as catalyst
		5.4.4	Other production of chemicals and polymers with mercury 
			compounds as catalysts

	5.5	Consumer products with intentional use of mercury
		5.5.1	Thermometers with mercury
		5.5.2	Electrical switches and relays with mercury
		5.5.3	Light sources with mercury
		5.5.4	Batteries with mercury
		5.5.5	Biocides and pesticides
		5.5.6	Paints
		5.5.7	Pharmaceuticals for human and veterinary uses
		5.5.8	Cosmetics and related products

	5.6	Other intentional product/process uses
		5.6.1	Dental mercury-amalgam fillings
		5.6.2	Manometers and gauges
		5.6.3	Laboratory chemicals and equipment
		5.6.4	Mercury metal use in religious rituals and folklore medicine
		5.6.5	Miscellaneous product uses, mercury metal uses, and other 
			sources

	5.7	Production of recycled metals ("secondary" metal production)
		5.7.1	Production of recycled mercury ("secondary production")
		5.7.2	Production of recycled ferrous metals (iron and steel)
		5.7.3	Production of other recycled metals

	5.8	Waste incineration
		5.8.1	Incineration of municipal/general waste
		5.8.2	Incineration of hazardous waste
		5.8.3	Incineration of medical waste
		5.8.4	Sewage sludge incineration
		5.8.5	Informal waste incineration

	5.9	Waste deposition/landfilling and waste water treatment
		5.9.1	Controlled landfills/deposits
		5.9.2	Diffuse deposition under some control
		5.9.3	Informal local disposal of industrial production waste
		5.9.4	Informal dumping of general waste
		5.9.5	Waste water system/treatment

	5.10	Crematoria and cemeteries
		5.10.1	Crematoria	
		5.10.2	Cemeteries

	5.11	Potential hotspots

6	References

7	Glossary, acronyms and abbreviations

8	Technical annexes
	8.1	Mercury concentrations in sphalerit in concentrates for zinc extraction

9	Annexes
	9.1	Standardized presentation format	
	9.2	Draft spreadsheet for facilitating calculations of mercury releases