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Mercury export ban and storage09/2010 Euro Chlor’s commitment to reporting data to the Commission and Member States’ competent authorities on e.g. best estimates of the amount of mercury still in use and the amount of mercury waste sent to storage facilities has been included in the Regulation. Euro Chlor continues implementing a voluntary agreement on phasing out mercury cell technology by 2020. In Germany, Vinnolit finalised the conversion to membrane technology of its sites in Gendorf and Knapsack. In Spain Ercros converted its unit of Sabinanigo. In Italy Syndial stopped its mercury-based production plant on its Porto Marghera site. European producers however still have about 7,600 tonnes of liquid mercury used by 34 electrolysis plants in 15 countries. These units account today for 31 % of European chlorine capacity. Euro Chlor welcomes the final outcome of the Regulation. When the export ban of mercury enters into force on March 15th, 2011, excess mercury no longer used by the chlor-alkali plants will have to be stored. The Regulation now makes it possible to permanently store liquid mercury in underground salt mines or hard rock formation with same level of safety. This is considered to be the safest solution and it is also in line with Euro Chlor’s voluntary agreement on the safe storage of excess mercury. The mercury will be stored in hermetically sealed steel containers. There is no risk of corrosion or leakage because there is no humidity in salt mines. Chlor-alkali metallic mercury reporting to the Commission Brussels, 1 June 2010. Euro Chlor has met the requirement in the EU Regulation on export ban and storage obligation (1102/2008), that quantities of metallic mercury on chlor-alkali sites have to be reported to the Commission by May 31, 2010. According to the Regulation, the quantities of metallic mercury on sites have to be reported yearly to the Commission and the Competent Authorities. Euro Chlor has volunteered to gather the data from the chlor-alkali sites of the Euro Chlor member companies in order to facilitate reporting to the Commission. Euro Chlor has provided, on behalf of all member companies utilising mercury cell technology, the following data (situation end 2009): • best estimate of total amount of mercury still in use in the chlor-alkali cells • total amount of metallic mercury stored in the facility. The data will be publicly available on DG Environment's website When the export ban and storage obligation enters into force on 15 March 2011 also metallic mercury sent to temporary or permanent storage facilities will need to be reported. |