Chlorine, Mercury Plan Gets EU Nod

The European Commission has welcomed a voluntary agreement from the European chlor-alkali industry to ensure the safe storage of surplus mercury once a ban on mercury exports from the European Union takes effect in 2011. The legislation requires that mercury from decommissioned chlorine plants be stored in a way to prevent its release. As outlined by Euro Chlor, a trade association, the plan is to store it in steel containers in deep underground salt mines. Euro Chlor is committed to phasing out mercury-based chlorine production in Europe no later than 2020. In 2007, it says, capacity using membrane technology exceeded that of mercury-based technology for the first time.