Presentations

1
Presentations
May 23 25, 2005 Portland,
Maine
For related information visit
http//www.newmoa.org/prevention/mercury/conferenc
es
2
Demonstration of the EPA Region 5 Tool for
Assessing the Potential Impacts of Various
Mercury-added Products Wastes

• Alexis Cain, US Environmental Protection Agency,
  Region 5
• Achieving Mercury Reductions in Products and
  Wastes, Portland, ME, May 25, 2005

3
Mercury Product Life-Cycle Release Estimation
Project

• Minnesota PCA (Ed Swain)/Barr Engineering (Carol
  Andrews, Bruce Monson) estimates for MN in 2001
  Used to improve MPCA mercury emissions
  inventories
• Wisconsin DNR/Barr/Dane County adapted for WI in
  2003-2004
• 2004-5 EPA Region 5, WDNR (Randy Case), Barr
  (John Reindl), Barr (Cliff Twaroski, Sarah Disch)
  develop national estimates

4
Life-Cycle Mercury Flow Approach

• Mass Balance
• Spreadsheets
• Distribution Factors
• Release Factors
• Estimated releases to air, water, land in 1990,
  2000, 2005-10
• Mercury used in products is released, recycled,
  or added to inventory

5
Products Covered

• Dental amalgam
• Fluorescent lamps, other lamps
• Bulk liquid mercury
• Switches and relays
• Auto switches
• Thermostats
• Measurement and Control Devices
• Thermometers
• Batteries a back of the envelope analysis
• Did not evaluate chemicals, fungicides

6
Ways the Tool Could be Improved

• Include more product sub-categories
• Update mercury use data
• Improve release factors
• Zinc production, auto shredders
• Land application of biosolids
• WWTP mercury removal (especially for dental
  amalgam)
• Dental office vacuum system, exhalation
• Breakage by consumers, in transport

7
Cautions

• Adaptations are encouraged, but
• Need to follow through the spreadsheets carefully
  to ensure that impact of changes flows through
  spreadsheets in a realistic way
• In many cases, mercury inputs and outputs are
  calculated separately
• Provide documentation

8
Collaboration

• How best to allow interested parties to work with
  the spreadsheets and improve them, while
  coordinating and tracking these changes
• Suggestions welcomed!

9

• Alexis Cain
  USEPA-Region 5
  [phone]
  cain.alexis_at_epa.gov