Discharges, Emissions and Losses of Mercury

OSPAR collects data annually on concentrations of certain hazardous substances in precipitation, air, rivers and the marine environment through the OSPAR monitoring programmes.

The first assessment of emissions, discharges and losses of chemicals identified by OSPAR for priority action assesses progress towards the cessation target for hazardous substances.

OSPAR used to publish reports on losses of mercury from the chlor-alkali industry. However, all mercury cell chlor-alkali plants in the OSPAR Maritime Area have now been phased out completely as a result of its Contracting Parties fully implementing PARCOM Decision 90/3 on reducing atmospheric emissions from existing chlor-alkali plants.

The 2019 round of data reporting on discharges, emissions and losses of mercury by all routes from mercury-cell chlor-alkali plants operating within the OSPAR Maritime Area, revealed that chlor-alkali plants in the OSPAR Maritime Area no longer use mercury technology for the production of chlor-alkali. Therefore, these discharges, emissions and losses of mercury have ceased altogether.