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Massachusetts Mercury Prohibition
Are you Prepared?
Triumvirate EnvironmentalFebruary 5, 2009
Today’s TopicsMassDEP rules that went into effect on January 12,
2007
Industrial wastewater mercury prohibition regulations
An action plan for complianceFind the source(s)Reduce/eliminate themAddress infrastructurePretreatment
Perils and Pitfalls – the challenges you are likely to face
Successes
Before We Get into the Mercury Issue…Other Regulatory Requirements:
MassDEP Permits for Industrial Sewer Users
Performance standard: pH limits narrowed to 5 – 10 su
Reporting on toxic pollutants
Who Does the Mercury Prohibition Rule Apply to?
All industrial wastewater dischargers located outside the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) sewer service area
Industrial User – An entity that introduces pollutants into a municipal sewer system from a non-domestic source
Including but not Limited to…
HospitalsColleges and
universitiesMedical
schools/laboratoriesManufacturing facilitiesAirportsIndustrial laundries
Commercial physical and biological research
Electric and gas production
Maintenance facilities for motor freight transport
Dry-cleaning, carpet, upholstery cleaning
Automotive services
What are the requirements? 314 CMR 7.05 - Section 2.f
July 12, 2007 – Determine possible sources of mercury in the discharge and take all reasonable steps to eliminate the mercury
May 1, 2009 – No industrial user shall introduce into a POTW or its wastewater collection system the following:
More than one part per billion (ppb) mercury
Reminder…
This is a Massachusetts DEP regulation…you must also comply with local sewer use ordinances and permits issued by the local POTW!
A Little Background…Why is Mercury a Problem?
Atomic weight 200.59Density 13.59
THREE (3) OXIDATIVE STATES:
•Hg(O) mercury, quicksilver
•Hg(I) mercurous ion
•Hg(II) mercuric ion
Crustal abundance 0.08 mg/kg
Native soils concentrations 0.01 - 0.08 mg/kg
Chemistry 101: Mercury (Hg)
Mercury in the EnvironmentMercury in the Environment
The Issue:Hazardous to human health
The Problem:How do we stop releases to the environment?
The Solution:Source reduction / elimination
MERCURY IS A GLOBAL CONCERN
Mercury Reduction Is Everyone’s Responsibility
U.S. EPAStatesCommunitiesConsumersEnvironmental
professionalsSchools
UtilitiesChemical
manufacturersIndustriesHealthcareDentistsEducators
Fish Consumption Advisories
Freshwater FishWomen that are pregnant, of child-bearing age, and children <8 are limited to one meal per month
All OthersOne meal per week
(Dependent on type of fish –
brook trout, salmon, etc.)
Warning – Don’t Eat the Fish!
Ocean Fish Advisories
Also fish-dependent
Swordfish, shark, tilefish and king mackerel are all off-limits to the pregnant, nursing women and children <8 group
Federal Drinking Water Standard
2.0 ppb
What is Massachusetts Doing About it?
Massachusetts Mercury Management Act (July 2006)
Specific mercury-containing devices cannot be sold in MA (May 1, 2008)
Labeling of mercury-containing products required (May 1, 2008)
Schools cannot purchase any mercury-containing products for classroom use (October 1, 2006)
Manufacturers must disclose mercury content to healthcare facilities
Prohibition of disposal in trash or wastewater
Why Pollution Preventionfor Mercury?
Prohibitive costs to add new treatment technology
We cannot totally eliminate mercury emissions with technology
Removal technology only relocates the pollutant
Source: Tim Tuominen, Western Lake Superior Sanitary District
So Let’s Get Started…How Do We Find it and Eliminate it?
Managing the Mercury Monster
Develop an Action Plan
Five components of your plan:Establish a baselineSource identificationSource elimination/reduction Infrastructure control and maintenancePretreatment system
Identifying Mercury SourcesBaseline sampling of the dischargeIdentify potential sources
Laboratories, process chemicals, janitorial/maintenance chemicals, and treatment chemicals
Chemical inventoriesReview MSDS’Compare to known mercury-source listsRequest chemical assays from the manufacturerTest potential chemical sourcesBe aware of intermittent activities / discharges
Establish a Baseline
1. First, you need to know what your current compliance status is, so:Develop a sampling plan
Begin at the end of the pipe and work back towards the potential sources
Develop a Sampling Plan
Chemicals / ReagentsSource AreasLaboratory sinks / trapsIdentify and collect isolated samples from pipe risersCheck holding tanks, chip tanks, treatment system unitsIdentify and sample occasional or intermittent discharges into the system (maintenance, janitorial, utilities, etc.)
Sources of MercuryNatural Sources- Naturally occurring element
Atmospheric Deposition - Coal and oil burning, incinerators
Consumer Products - Batteries, fluorescent lights, electrical switches
Dental and Medical Practices - Mercury amalgam, thermometers, lab reagents, batteries
Industrial Manufacturing & Chemical Use
Mercury-Containing Products
Thermometers (0.5 to 3 grams Hg)Thermostats (3 grams Hg)Thermostat Probes (ovens, clothes dryers, water
heaters, etc.)Fluorescent & High Intensity Lamps (mercury vapor
lamps, neon lamps, etc.)Gauges (manometers, barometers, vacuum gauges)Mercury Switches & Relays ( chest freezers, sump
pumps, auto trunk/hood light switches, etc.)
Mercury in Detergents and Cleaners
Ajax Powder 0.17 ppbComet Cleaner 0.15 ppbAlconox Soap 0.004 mg/kgDove Soap 0.0027 ppbIvory Dishwashing Liquid
0.061 ppb
Sources of Mercury in Medical Facilities
Batteries (defibrillators, hearing aids, pacemakers)
Electrical Equipment (fiber optics, mechanical switches)
Thermometers
Sphygmomanometers
Chemicals: Zenker’s Solution, Mercurochrome
Mercury Reduction and Elimination
Chemical substitution
Waste collection and offsite treatment/disposal
Company-wide prohibition on mercury-containing chemicals, reagents, equipment
Other: pipe cleaning / replacement
Employee / Staff Training
Mercury health effects: neurotoxinFate in the environmental: bioaccumulates
in fishSources in the facilityWaste disposal practicesWaste collection proceduresSink drain prohibitions (postings)
Pretreatment
Evaluate system performance
Tank cleaningTreatment chemicals
(sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide)
Optimization
Treatment Enhancement and Technologies
First, sample and speciate (elemental, ionic, organic) the mercury entering the system
Control biogrowth within piping and treatment system
Filtration – initial pretreatment to remove particulate matter
Selective ion exchange resinsALWAYS CONDUCT PILOT TESTING BEFORE
INVESTING
Questions??
I have Mercury…
Now what do I do??
I Have Mercury…
October 2002 – Mercury found in discharge
“I don’t buy mercury or anything with mercury in it!”
“As far as I know, I don’t use Mercury at all!”
“It never showed up in previous sample results!”
I have Mercury…
Tested all waste streams, and all chemicals used in wastewater
Sump in the WWT area (0.14 mg/l)Used for hand washingUsed to rinse sample bottles, glassware, ISCO tubingOccasionally used by the company maintaining Water System
Removed – including all pipes leading to the WWTS
I Have Mercury…
Still found mercury
For waste streams that showed detectable amounts of mercury:
Test each sink, discharge, contributing to the wastestreamAll chemicals used in the area – even those that were “not discharged”Found several items that could be sources – eliminated chemical from entering waste stream
I have Mercury……..
Trained all employees in mercury and its problems –one on one with people in the areas that showed mercury
Removed piping, sink traps, rubber gasketsChanged all tubing and containers associated with
sampling unit RetestedTested Hazardous Waste – should be more
concentrated, right?
I Have Mercury…
FoundChemical that was supposed to remove Hg, contained Hg. (thiocarbamate solution)Cleaned all sumps and piping leading to the WWTSRan WWTS so that a sample could be taken prior to discharge – low flow enabled thisStill find mercury on occasion
Remember!
Kept in constant touch with the POTW!Told them about everything that we were doing, sample results, plansHad them in for a plant review
They told us about MASCOHelped us to check chemicals that we had missed previously or thought would not be a problem MSDS did not mention Mercury!
I Have Mercury…
HAZCOM“With regard to mixtures of chemicals, the HCS requires the evaluation of mixtures to be based either on data for the mixture as a whole, or, where that is not available, the mixture's health hazards are to be based on the presence of ingredients with health hazards over a specified percentage. That percentage is 0.1% for carcinogens, and 1.0% for all other types of health effects.”
OSHA – Federal Register September 12, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 176)]
I Have Mercury…
ATSDR – mercury is extremely toxicMethyl mercury and mercuric chloride are possible carcinogens
So, the MSDS only needs to mention methyl mercury and mercuric chloride if it is present at greater than 0.1%, other mercury types if greater than 1%
1% = 10,000 ppm or 10,000,000 ppb0.1% = 1,000 ppm or 1,000,000 ppb
I Have Mercury…
Nitric Acid 1.9 ppbPotassium hydroxide 30 ppbHydrogen Peroxide 1.2 ppbGlacial Acetic Acid 100,000 ppbFormaldehyde 12,000 ppb200 Proof Ethanol 10 ppbCaustic Soda 1 to 500 ppb
I Have Mercury…
Raw materials manufactured by processes that involve mercury, such as the mercury-cell process used by chlor-alkali plants, contain small amounts of mercury
less than 1 ppb7 ppbPotassium Hydroxide
less than 1 ppb10-300 ppbCaustic Soda
MembraneGradeMercury Cell
I Have Mercury…
Materials from production linesAcetone – 52 ppm50 % NaOH - 19.2 ppbNitric/Hydrochloric sol’n – 6.3 ppbSodium hypochlorite – 2.6 ppb30 % H2O2 diluted 1:100 Gave us nd <0.050 ppm!!!
Remember
Talk to your lab!Used two labsBoth had different testing capabilitiesCoagulant interferenceSplit samples – not always as informative as with other metals
I Have Mercury…
Found in two process sumps
Checked chemical sources for bothRemoved one chemical – citronox (soap)Source in other area not foundCleaned lines and sump with HgX
Found mercury in the sludge of the equalization tank
No mixer, no treatment
I have Mercury…
HgX – used to clean out sumps and lines to WWT
Put in ultrafiltration systemCoagulant would decrease chemical useRemove mercuryRemove leadLess sludge producedEasy to operate
I Have Mercury…
pH buffers used in WWT77-141 ppm !!!!!Then tested pH buffers used elsewhere – 16 ppm to one of the sumps.
Solution that we were going to use to solve mercury problem
72 ppbThiocarbamate based coagulant. Interference resulted in a positive Hg result. Removal of interference still showed presence of Hg.
I Have Mercury…
Sample, sample, sample
If it is in your treatment system discharge –sample the waste streams going to the treatment system
Sample every waste stream
Hg Treatment
Techniques employed for the removal of trace levels of mercury from water have included:
the use of a precipitating agent and associated filtration step ion-exchange technology(SR-200 from Resin Tech)selective absorbents (KeyleX from SolmeteX)membrane separation processeselectrolytic methods
Each situation is different and pilot testing should be conducted!
Recap
You WILL need to look at EVERY chemical that may reach the treatment system
Try and match up the day the discharge was sampled with the activities in the area
Test everything used that day – raw materials, rinse waters, soaps, glues, everything!
Recap
Didn’t find mercury sourceDon’t give up!May need to resampleTalk to people in the area; what did they do that they normally don’t?
Keep sampling – try to narrow down the sources
Keep in touch with the POTW
Recap
Find and remove the source
Vendor Certifications
Clean lines
Add treatment
Information Sources
www.mass.gov/dep/toxics/stypes/hgres.htmwww.masco.org/mercury/index.htmwww.newmoa.org/prevention/mercury/www.epa.gov/mercury/
Questions??
Sandra J. PerryConsulting Services
Manager617.686.7713
Martha WikSenior Wastewater
Consultant617.628.8098