EPA/625/R-00/014

June 2001

Proceedings and Summary Report

Workshop on Mercury in Products,

Processes, Waste and the Environment:

Eliminating, Reducing and Managing Risks

from Non-Combustion Sources

March 22-23, 2000

Baltimore, MD

National Risk Management and Research Laboratory

Office of Research and Development

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Cincinnati, Ohio 45268
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Notice

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), through its Office of Research and

Development,funded and managed the research described here under Contract 68-C7-0011 to Science

Applications InternationalCorporation(SAIC). It has been subjected to the Agency’s peer administrative

review and has been approved for publication as an EPA document. Statements captured in the panel

discussion summary in Appendix C are those of the participants, not necessarily reflective of 

+3.the EPA. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or

recommendation for use.
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Foreword

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is charged by Congress with protecting the Nation’s

land, air, and water resources. Under a mandate of national environmental laws, the Agency strives to

formulate and implement actions leading to a compatible balance betweenhumanactivities and the ability

ofnaturalsystems to support and nurture life. To meet this mandate, EPA’s research program is providing

data and technical support for solving environmental problems today and building a science knowledge

basenecessarytomanage our ecologicalresources wisely, understand howpollutants affect our health, and

prevent or reduce environmental risks in the future.

The National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL) is the Agency’s center for

investigationoftechnologicaland management approachesfor preventing and reducing risksfrompollution

that threaten human health and the environment. The focus of the Laboratory’s research program is on

methods and their cost-effectiveness for prevention and control of pollution to air, land, water, and

subsurface resources; protection of water quality in public water systems; remediation of contaminated

sites, sediments and ground water; prevention and control of indoor air pollution; and restoration of

ecosystems. NRMRL collaborates with bothpublic and private sector partnersto fostertechnologies that

reduce the cost ofcomplianceand toanticipateemergingproblems. NRMRL’s research provides solutions

to environmental problems by: developing and promoting technologies that protect and improve the

environment; advancing scientific and engineering information to support regulatory and policy decisions;

and providing the technical support and information transfer to ensure implementation of environmental

regulations and strategies at the national, state, and community levels.

This publicationhas beenproduced as part ofthe Laboratory’s strategic long-term research plan.

It is published and made available by EPA’s Office of Research and Development to assist the user

community and to link researchers with their clients.

E. Timothy Oppelt, Director

National Risk Management Research Laboratory
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Abstract

Mercurycontamination, bothnationally and internationally, haslong beenrecognized as a growing problem

for humans and ecosystems, since mercury does not degrade to simpler compounds. Once it is released

to the environment, it will always be present in one form or another. Mercury is released to the

environment from a variety of human (anthropogenic) sourcesincluding plant effluent discharge,fossil-fuel

combustors, incinerators, chlor-alkali plants, miningand landfills. Other sources of anthropogenic mercury

release include industrial processes and the disposal of products containing mercury. Anthropogenic

sources of mercury emissions to the atmosphere include fossil fuel combustion (containing trace amounts

of mercury), municipal incineration, medical waste incineration, chlor-alkali plants, and landfills. These

emissionsourcesrepresent a significant contributionto the totalmercuryreleased (including natural and reemitted) in the United States.

A workshop titled, Mercury in Products, Processes, Waste and the Environment: Eliminating, Reducing

and Managing Risks from Non-combustion Sources, was held on March 22 - 23, 2000, in Baltimore,

Maryland. To facilitate discussions of these issues, the workshop combined a series of presentations at

plenary sessions, moderated technical sessions and panel discussions. The topics of these presentations

focused on treatment and disposal technologies, stockpile management, and prevention, collection and

eliminationprograms. Presenters were from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), Department

of Energy (DOE), state agencies, industry, academia, technology developers, equipment manufacturers,

consulting firms, international representatives. The presentations were followed by two panel discussions:

the first addressed treatment and disposal of mercury-contaminated wastes and the second addressed

prevention, collection, and elimination issues. This report provides a discussion of the overarching issues

in mercury treatment, disposal, prevention, collection, and elimination, and a summary of the panel

discussions that took place at the close of the workshop.
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Contents

Foreword ................................................................... iii

Abstract ..................................................................... iv

List of Acronyms .............................................................. vii

Acknowledgments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .viii

Executive Summary

Section 1 Introduction ....................................................... 1

1.1 Workshop Structure, Purpose, and Intended Audience ...................... 1

1.2 Background ....................................................... 1

1.3 Need for Eliminating, Reducing and Managing Risks from 

 Non-Combustion Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Section 2 Treatment and Disposal Options ........................................ 3

2.1 Regulations Guiding Treatment and Disposal of Mercury Waste ................ 3

2.2 State of the Science in Treatment Options for Mercury Waste .................. 4

2.3 State of the Science in Disposal Options for Mercury Waste ................... 5

2.4 Additional Topics of Concern from Treatment and Disposal 

 Panel Discussion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Section 3 Prevention, Collection, and Elimination .................................. 11

3.1 Current Status of Mercury Prevention, Collection, and Elimination .............. 11

3.2 Issues in Mercury Prevention, Collection, and Elimination .................... 11

3.3 Additional Topics of Concern from Prevention, Collection, and 

Elimination Panel Discussion .......................................... 12

Section 4 Summary and Conclusions ........................................... 17
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Appendices

A Workshop Agenda ....................................................... 18

B Workshop Abstracts ..................................................... 21

C Panel Discussion Summary - Treatment and Disposal ............................. 71

D Panel Discussion Summary - Prevention, Collection, and Elimination .................. 80

E List of Attendees ........................................................ 94
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List of Acronyms

ANPRM Advance Notice of Potential Rulemaking

BDAT Best Demonstrated Available Technology

DLA Defense Logistics Agency

DOD Department of Defense

DOE Department of Energy

EPA Environmental Protection Agency

FR Federal Register

GAC Granular Activated Carbon

Hg Mercury

HW Hazardous Waste

LDR Land Disposal Restrictions

MSW Municipal Solid Waste

NESHAP National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants 

NGO Non Government Organization

NRC Nuclear Regulatory Commission

NRMRL National Risk Management Research Laboratory

P2 Pollution Prevention

PBT Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic

RCRA Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

SAMMS Self-Assembled Mercaptans on Mesoporous Silica

TCLP Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure
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Acknowledgments 

Many people contributed their expertise to the preparationand reviewofthispublication. Overall technical

guidance was provided by Douglas Grosse of the U.S. EPA’s National Risk Management Research

Laboratory. The document was prepared by Lisa Kulujian and Lisa Enderle of Science Applications

International Corporation. The following people provided guidance and review:

Jonathan Herrmann USEPA, National Risk Management Research Laboratory

Benjamin Blaney USEPA, National Risk Management Research Laboratory

Paul Randall USEPA, National Risk Management Research Laboratory

Josh Lewis USEPA, Office of Solid Waste

Edward Weiler USEPA, Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic 

Substances

Jeri Weiss USEPA, Region I