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Oceana Report: Poison Plants II

Poison Plants II shows that mercury-cell chlorine plants, that use outdated mercury-cell technology to produce chlorine, continue to be one of the United States’ biggest mercury polluters. 

Using the latest industry and government data, Poison Plants II shows that the only marked reduction in mercury releases to air by the nine plants that operated from 2002 to 2003 occurred as a result of one plant being idled during some of that period.

Read the full report. (pdf)

 

Key Facts

  • Mercury-cell chlorine plants release far more mercury to the air per plant, on average, than coal-burning power plants.
  • Mercury-cell chlorine plants were the number 1 source of mercury air pollution in seven of the eight states where they operated in 2003.
  • The chlorine industry could not account for 30 tons of mercury in 2003; mercury they “lost”. If the bulk of this lost mercury enters the environment annually, the chlorine industry would approach coal-fired power plants as the number 1 mercury emitter.

Who Are They?

Six companies – the Olin Corporation (NYSE:OLN), Occidental Chemicals Corp. (NYSE:OXY), PPG Industries (NYSE:PPG), ASHTA Chemicals, ERCO Worldwide, and Pioneer Companies, Inc. (OTC BB:PONR.OB) – are responsible for the nine mercury-cell chlorine plants cited in Poison Plants II. These plants continue to operate in seven states: Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana (2), Ohio, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Oceana has repeatedly called on these companies to shift to mercury-free technology. Last year, one of the nine, the Delaware City, Del., plant owned by Occidental Chemical, announced it would shut down chlorine production entirely, thus eliminating the use of mercury at the plant. Another, PPG’s Lake Charles, La., facility, announced plans to shift to a modern, mercury-free production method.

 

The Mercury Problem

Most mercury ingested by humans results from eating contaminated fish. Mercury can cause serious health problems, especially in children. An EPA scientist has estimated that one in six pregnant women has enough mercury in her blood to pose risks, such as brain damage, to her developing baby. In the United States, the EPA and the Food and Drug Administration cautioned women of childbearing age and children to limit the amount and types of seafood they eat due to the risk of mercury poisoning. Governments around the world have issued similar warnings.

Learn more about mercury and Oceana's campaign to Stop Seafood Contamination.