‘Govt to phase out mercury from industry’

Lahore

Pakistani chlor-alkali industry is considered by global industry experts among the most eco-friendly and advanced industries to phase out mercury and adopt the latest energy efficient technology.

The Punjab government is committed to eliminating mercury from the industry, said Capt (Retd) Saif Anjum, secretary, Environment Protection Department (EPD), Punjab while addressing  an awareness workshop on 'Minamata Initial Assessment and Training on Inventory of Mercury and Mercury Compounds in Pakistan' here on Thursday.

The EPD secretary said that due to conversion of chlor-alkali industry from mercury cell technology to modern eco-friendly membrane technology, Pakistan had now become the third country after Japan and India in the world which completely converted the process of chlor-alkali industry as ‘green’ industry.

Iftikhar­ul­ Hassan Gilani, joint secretary, international cooperation, Ministry of Climate Change, Pakistan, said, the government was committed to replacing mercury-based technologies and products in line with the decisions being taken by opting for friendly technologies and products in Pakistan”.

‘Mercury cell chlor-alkali products are used to produce thousands of other products, including food ingredients such as citric acid, sodium benzoate, and high fructose corn syrup.

High fructose corn syrup is used in food products to enhance their shelf life," said Muhammad Khurshid Sheikh, head of planning at a private industry.

Dr Zaigham Abbas, deputy director, National Project Coordinator, Ministry of Climate Change, said that important work was currently being carried out under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Global Mercury Partnership on Reducing Mercury in the chlor-alkali sector. Pakistan is a signatory to Minamata Convention on Mercury. Ministry of Climate Change with the collaboration of UNEP is implementing a project titled “Development of Minamata Initial Assessment in Pakistan” to strengthen the baselines on mercury management, and to develop the national mercury release inventories and national mercury management plans, he said.

Commenting on making the chlor-alkali industry mercury-free in Pakistan, Dr Zaigham briefed that Ministry of Climate Change was closely working with industry to eliminate mercury and mercury products. The capacity-building and technical support has been provided since 2008 to achieve the goal.

To phase out mercury-added products and mercury-based processes, the Pakistani government  is targeting year 2020 and year 2025 respectively, he added.

“Environmental contamination due to mercury is caused by several industries, petrochemicals, mining, painting, and also by agricultural sources such as fertilisers and fungicidal sprays. Mercury and its compounds are cumulative toxins and in small quantities are hazardous to human health," said Dr Mahmood A Khawaja, senior adviser on chemicals and president of International Society of Doctors for the Environment (ISDE).

The major effects of mercury poisoning manifest as neurological and renal disturbances as it can easily pass the blood-brain barrier and affect the brain.

High concentration of mercury causes impairment of pulmonary function and kidneys. Removal of mercury from water and waste water is very important, Dr Khawaja said.

The Minamata Convention is a global legally binding instrument on mercury to protects human health and environment from the harmful consequences of mercury.