Mercury Handling during normal plant operations

Based on many years’ experience, chlorine producers have developed guidelines to share best practices. They include information on how:

• To manage a chlorine production unit using mercury
o Mercury Do’s and Dont’s Poster
o European Guidelines for making a mercury balance in a chlorine plant
o US Guidelines for Conducting a Mercury Balance
o Guideline for preparing an audit of the mercury balance in a chlorine plant
o Determination of the total weight of mercury in the electrolysis cells by radioisotopes.

• To protect the environment
 o Code of Practice: Mercury Housekeeping
o Guidelines for minimising mercury emissions and wastes from mercury chlor-alkali plants
o Guidelines for Mercury Cell Chlor-Alkali Plants Emission Control
o Guidelines for Technologies to Reduce Mercury in Sodium Hydroxide
o Guidelines for the measurement of air flow and mercury in cell room ventilation
o Determination of mercury in gases, liquids and solids including the precautions for sampling.

• To protect workers against the negative effects of mercury
 o Code of Practice: Control of worker exposure to mercury in the chlor-alkali industry
o Guidelines for the optimization of mercury treatment (pamphlet 125) Medical surveillance and monitoring
o Mercury audit questionnaire
o Determining mercury and creatinine in urine

Back to UNEP Global Mercury Partnership page