Congressional Bill Would End Mercury Use in Chlorine Plants

A U.S. House subcommittee has approved a measure that would require chemical plants manufacturing chlorine and caustic soda to stop using mercury.

Olin Corporation in Augusta is one of a handful of plants that uses mercury to make chlorine.

Supporters of the measure say that technology is outdated and harmful to the environment.

Olin, meanwhile, says its manufacturing process is safe.

Mercury is toxic, and can cause neurological problems in both children and fetuses.

For more information about the bill, click here.

EPA proposes higher mercury emissions for chlorine plants

A federal agency is proposing a new emissions standard for companies that make chlorine using mercury.

The new standard would release more mercury into the air.

Olin Corporation in Augusta uses mercury in its chlorine production. It's one of five in the nation that still do.

The federal Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to raise the percentage of mercury, called fugitive emissions, it allows companies to release into the air from the cell room where the chlorine is produced.

The EPA's maximum limit for fugitive emissions is basically a trigger point for companies to wash down the cell room, to prevent further emissions release. That trigger point would be higher under the proposed rule.

The agency says that allowing the higher rate of emissions would ironically give companies less time "chasing alarms," as the EPA put it, and more time for maintenance activities.

And, the EPA would require companies to implement a more accurate system to monitor the emissions.

Mercury can be toxic, especially to children and fetuses.

"It's another demonstration of the EPA allowing Olin to continue to pollute the Augusta area," says Tonya Bonitatibus, a field representative for the environmental watchdog group Oceana. She says the group is still studying the proposed rule but opposes the higher emissions.

David Blair, the plant manager at Olin in Augusta, declined to comment on the proposed rule, but did respond to the emissions issue in a written statement. "We've invested millions of dollars in technology and workplace practices during recent years," he said. "We already have in place a system that continuously monitors emissions at the cell room."

Blair said the company had reduced its emissions by more than 85 percent by 2007.

Bill would affect Olin Corporation in Augusta

Congress is considering a bill that would phase out the use of mercury in the manufacturing of chlorine and caustic soda.

Olin Corporation in Augusta would be affected by the measure. It produces both chlorine and caustic soda.

It's one of four U.S. plants that use mercury in that manufacturing process, yet haven't committed to phasing it out.

The bill would end the mercury use in any U.S. plant producing the chemicals by 2012.

The congressional sponsors say there are safer alternatives.

Mercury is toxic. It causes neurological problems in children and fetuses.

Environmentalists here worry that mercury deposits, particularly in the Savannah River, increase exposure to it.

"Over the past couple of decades we've begun to realize just how toxic mercury is and how insidious it is," says Frank Carl, director of the Savannah Riverkeeper.

Olin, meanwhile, maintains that its use of mercury is safe.