Mercury emissions experts gather in Scotland to discuss cuts

Mercury emissions experts gather in Scotland to discuss cuts

London (Platts)--11May2004


Some 40 experts from 13 countries are gathering in Renfrew near Glasgow this
week for the First International Experts Workshop on Mercury Emissions from
Coal, the IEA Clean Coal Centre's Lesley Sloss told Platts Tuesday. The event
is being hosted by Mitsui Babcock and sponsored by the IEA Clean Coal Centre
and the UK Department of Trade and Industry. Mercury can have significant
human health and environmental impacts, and once in the environment can
bioaccumulate and bioconcentrate. Coal has been identified as a primary target
for mercury control legislation in the US and reduction requirements for
coal-fired power plants are imminent. Mitsui Babcock's Stuart Mitchell said:
"The EU is now in the process of developing an approach to reduce mercury
emissions within Europe with a stakeholders consultation period concluding
today." The MEC workshop will be the first international forum for the
discussion of the most pressing issues concerning mercury emissions from coal.

The EU's Large Combustion Plant and IPPC directives require SOx and NOx
reduction strategies on all EU plants over 50MWh in capacity. Existing SOx and
NOx control technologies can reduce mercury emissions by up to 90%. "The
initial indication from the EU Stakeholders Meeting, held in Brussels in March
2004, is that plants over 50MWh will not have specific mercury control
requirements within Europe in the immediate future," Sloss said. It is more
likely that the EU will wait and see what reductions are achieved by the
implementation of the LCPD and IPPC by 2008. It is probable, however, that the
EU will introduce legislation in the medium-term similar to that proposed in
the US. Attendees are to discuss the status and future requirements for the
measurement and control of mercury emissions.

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