Heavy Metals in Products
Improved measures and technological developments
Petra Ekblom
Swedish Chemicals Inspectorate
Sufficiency and Effectiveness Review of the HM Protocol, UN/ECE
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Petra Ekblom (Sweden)
Patrick Chevalier (Canada)
John Wilkins & Chuck French (United States)
Edwin Koekkoek (Netherlands)
Hugh Morrow (International Cadmium Association)
David Wilson (Lead Development Association)
Manufacturing
of products
Production
of metals
Use of
products
Incineration of waste
and sewage sludge
Recycling of
products
Landfills
Examples of Hg-emission estimates
Electrical
Components
Measuring Devices
US (2004) Secondary
steel Mills (automobil)
Canada (1999)
Incineration + direct
emission
Europe (1995)
(incl. lamps)
9.1 tonnes/y
US (1995) Medical
devices, incineration
Canada (year ?)
Hospital equipment,
incineration + direct
emission
Europe (1995 /recent)
14.5 tonnes/y
8.6 tonnes/y
46 tonnes/y
0.29 tonnes/y
11 tonnes/ 8 tonnes/y
HM Protocol
Annex VI
 Binding control
measures
 Leaded petrol for onroad vehicles (0.013 g/l)
 Mercury in alkalinemanganese batteries
Annex VII
 Guidance on
management measures
 Para. 2
Hg, Cd and Pb
 Para. 3
Specific Hg-products
Improved measures and
technological developments
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Mix of regulatory and non-regulatory measures
Restrictions, substitution, waste management, collection
programmes, recycling;
- Canada Wide Standards, Waste Programmes
- US regulations and voluntary reduction programmes
- EU Hg-strategy, Waste Legislation and Policies,
Thematic Strategy on waste
EU enlargement (EU-15 to EU-25)
Hg-free alternatives available for almost all uses
Leaded Petrol
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All Parties have phased out the marketing for
on-road vehicles
Prohibitions with limit 0.005 g/l
Also most non-Parties
Pb-free substitutes available for old vehicles /
no substitute necessary
On-going work to replace Pb-fuels for racing
cars and aircraft
Mercury-containing Batteries
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23 (/27) Parties have prohibitions + 7
signatories. 1 Party non-reg.
EU Dir. limit 0.0005% Hg by weight in batteries.
Button cells <2% Hg exempted.
Still >30 (?) tonnes Hg consumed in UNECE.
Collection of button cells difficult.
0.25 - 1% Hg in button cells. Some Hg-free
alternatives available.
Para 3. Product Management Measures
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Mercury-containing Electrical Components
Mercury-containing Measuring Devices
Mercury-containing Fluorescent Lamps
Mercury-containing Dental Amalgam
Mercury-containing Pesticides
Mercury-containing Paint
Mercury-containing Electrical
Components
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Most Parties have implemented measures
Prohibition on the marketing (EU RoHS-dir.)
Regulation on waste handling (EU WEEE-dir.)
Collection and recycling
Hg-free alternatives available
Consumption has decreased
Mercury-containing Measuring Devices
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Non-regulatory measures, in particular in the
health care sector (substitution/waste handling)
A few Parties have nearly phased-out the use
through prohibitions
EU ban for consumer use and fever
thermometers is under negotiation
Hg-free alternatives available for almost all uses
8 tonnes of Hg released to air each year in EU
Consumption has decreased
Mercury-containing Fluorescent Lamps
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No Hg-free alternatives yet available (except for
LCDs)
Non-regulatory programmes on reduction of
Hg-content, collection and recycling
Regulations on waste handling (US-laws, EU
WEEE-dir.)
EU RoHS-dir. sets limits on Hg-content (5-10
mg per lamp)
3 mg lamps on the EU-market.
Mercury-containing Dental Amalgam
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Air emissions from sewage sludge (land application,
incineration) and cremation
Some Parties require separators at dental clinics
A few Parties have use restrictions or guidelines
OSPAR recommendation on BAT for crematorias
Generally little change in use the last ten years
Reductions in some countries and almost totally phased
out in a couple of countries
Hg-free alternatives are available
HM Protocol
Annex VI
 Binding control
measures
 Leaded petrol for onroad vehicles (0.013 g/l)
 Mercury in alkalinemanganese batteries
Annex VII
 Guidance on
management measures
 Para. 2
[Hg, Cd and Pb]
 Para. 3
Specific Hg-products
Manufacturing
of products
Production
of metals
Use of
products
Incineration of waste
and sewage sludge
Recycling of
products
Landfills
Battery Production and
Recycling 0.85 tonnes/y
Production of
Cd/CdO
3.9 tonnes/y
Product related air
emissions of cadmium in
EU-16 :
8 tonnes/y (= 6.5 % of
total Cd emissions)
(EU Risk Assessment Report)
Municipal
Incineration
3.2 tonnes/y
[Para 2. Product Management Measures]
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Hg, Cd, Pb in Sewage sludge (land application (Hg) and
incineration)
Hg, Cd, Pb in Packaging
Hg, Cd, Pb in Vehicles
Cd and Pb in Batteries
Cd and Pb in Electrical and Electronic equipment
Cd as Surface treatment, Stabiliser and Pigment
Pb Stabilisers