The document discusses mercury pollution in Pakistan. It finds mercury levels exceeding standards, harming the environment and increasing lung and cancer diseases. Major sources are factories near Lahore. It estimates total mercury releases of 36898.77 kg/year in Pakistan, or 637.76 mg of mercury exposure per capita annually, which is highly alarming. It aims to develop awareness, replace mercury products, and reduce exposure through identification of uses and contaminated areas.

2.  There has been no serious study of the impacts
of air pollution in Pakistan.
 Air pollution is also acknowledged to be a
contributory factor in the increased incidence
of smog in large cities in the winter season.

3.  The level of all the major contaminants in the
atmosphere has exceeded the given standard,
which is not only harming the environment
and the city’s ecosystem, but also causing an
increase in the number of diseases related to
lungs and various types of cancer.
 The major sources of all these pollutants
include furnaces and other factories – mostly
operating around the walled city and in the
peripherals of Lahore

4.  The environmental impacts of Mercury and its compounds are
globally wide spread and deep rooted due to its high toxicity.
Four provinces of Pakistan have been inspected for first time
during present study for mercury exposure to environment.
 The maximum mercury released in Kg/Year has been estimated
as 1625.11 in extraction process, fuel and energy sources; 2500 in
Cement production; 21120 in Chlor-alkali production; 1071.79
in Consumer products with intentional use of mercury; 5779 in
other intentional products/process uses and 4637.55 in Waste
deposition/land filling and waste water treatment indicating total
cumulative release of 36898.77 Kg/year.
 The total minimum per year emission and transfer of mercury in
Pakistan is 10842 Kg represents 637.76 mg per capita per
year exposure of mercury which is highly alarming figure.

5.  To develop the basic data about the inventory of
 mercury and mercury products in Pakistan.
 To identify the mercury exposure resources in the
 country.
 To identify the groups of people at more risk.
 To create the awareness in the general public
 regarding the toxicity of mercury.
 To attempt the replacement of mercury containing
 commodities.
 To develop strategies to reduce the risk of
mercury
 exposure.

8.  Identification of mercury and mercury products uses and
releases by
 federal/provincial EPA’s.
 The selection of areas susceptible/effected for mercury
contamination
 in the country.
 Collection of samples of water, air and soil from the country
 Data collection of mercury and mercury products from
mercury usage
 markets/industries in the country.
 Technical working group and consultation meetings of all
 stakeholders.
 Preparation of baseline data/inventory of mercury and
mercury products about the current situation in the country.

9.  Identification of Sampling Points for
 Mercury Inventory in Pakistan
 Name of Province Main Sampling Points
 1 Punjab Chlor-alkali plant, cement industries, power
 plants, glass, ceramic, steel re-rolling mills,
 waste incinerators etc
 2 Sindh Sugar Mills, pulp & paper industry, paint and
 pharmaceutical, cosmetic, informal dumping
 sites etc
 3 N.W.F.P Cement, chip board, mining, lamps
 manufacturing, fiber etc
 4 Balochistan Quetta and Hub Industrial zones, waste
 incinerator etc
 5 Islamabad Capital Territory Industrial area, steel re-rolling mill, marble
 cutting, pharmaceutical, plastic etc
 Liquids:
 Streams/ waste drain channels:
 One litre liquid sample should be taken from three depth
 levels, well mixed in a polyethylene container and filled in
 a 120 ml sample bottle (polyethylene), containing 20 drops
 of dilute HNO3.

10.  Liquids:
 Streams/ waste drain channels:
 One litre liquid sample should be taken from three depth
 levels, well mixed in a polyethylene container and filled in
 a 120 ml sample bottle (polyethylene), containing 20 drops
 of dilute HNO3.
 Stagnant liquid reservoirs:
 One litre liquid sample should be taken from three depth
 levels at four points in 10 meters rectangle, well mixed in a
 polyethylene container and filled in a 120 ml sample bottle
 (polyethylene), containing 20 drops of dilute HNO3.

11.  Solids:
 Dry samples:
 200 gms of the soil or other dried mass be collected in a zipper bag
and sealed
 immediately.
 Sludge:
 Sludge underneath a water channel, 200 gms sample should be
taken and be
 packed in dual zipper bags or if possible filled in 120 ml
polyethylene bottle
 using a funnel containing 20 drops of dilute HNO3.
 Labeling:
 All the sample bottles/ bags must be immediately labeled using a
permanent
 ink marker over a small strip of paper tape.

12. Ittehad chemicals Outlet. 1 2.3
Ittehad chemicals Outlet. 2 0.4
Ittehad chemicals Outlet. 3 3.1
Ittehad chemicals Outlet. 4 2.7
Ittehad chemicals Solid Waste. 1 0.77
Ittehad chemicals Solid Waste. 2 0.4
Ittehad chemicals Solid Waste. 3 0

16.  This exercise included the followings steps:
 1. Selection of areas susceptible to / effected by
mercury contamination in the country.
 2. Data collection of mercury and mercury
 3. products from mercury usage
markets/industries in
 the country
 4. Preparation of baseline data/inventory of
mercury
 and mercury products about the current situation
in the
 country.

17.  The Act includes provisions on both mercury
exports and long-term mercury management and
storage, implementation of the act will remove a
significant amount of mercury from the market.
 The Act's three main provisions are the following:
 Federal agencies are prohibited from conveying,
selling or distributing elemental mercury that is
under their control or jurisdiction. This includes
stockpiles held by the Departments of Energy and
Defense.
 Export of elemental mercury is prohibited

18.  Non-mercury alternatives for the specified use are not available in the country
where the facility is located.
 There is no other source of elemental mercury available from domestic supplies
(not including new mercury mines) in the country where the elemental mercury
will be used.
 The country where the elemental mercury will be used certifies its support for the
exemption.
 The export will be conducted in such a manner as to ensure the elemental mercury
will be used at the identified facility and not otherwise diverted for other uses for
any reason.
 The elemental mercury will be used in a manner that will protect human health
and the environment, taking into account local, regional, and global human health
and environmental effects.
 The elemental mercury will be handled and managed in a manner that will protect
human health and the environment, taking into account local, regional, and global
human health and environmental effects.
 The export of elemental mercury for the specified use is consistent with
international obligations of the Pakistan intended to reduce mercury supply, use,
and pollution.

19.  Ozone and particle pollution (Cross-State Air
Pollution Rule)
 Greenhouse gas emissions
 Mercury and air toxics
 Reduction of Toxic Air Pollutants from Mercury
Cell Chlor-Alkali Plants Rule .The final rule
reduces mercury emissions from mercury cell
chlor-alkali plants that are considered "major
sources" of hazardous air pollutants as well as
facilities considered to be "area sources". Mercury
cell chlor-alkali plants produce chlorine and
caustic using mercury cells.

20.  Activated Carbon Injection Systems
 Scrubbers: Wet
 Scrubbers: Dry

21.  Chlor-alkali plants will be regulated through
permits. Each plant will be required to reduce
its annual emissions of mercury below 95
percent from 1999 levels.
 Chlor-alkali plants use a mercury cell process
in electrolysis for the production of caustic
soda and chlorine gas, but new processes have
been developed to curtail mercury emissions
during production.

22.  To analyze the effectiveness of, it will be necessary
to employ monitoring
 technologies that can measure the emissions of
mercury into the air and analyze mercury
concentrations in the water. Effective technologies
to monitor mercury emissions currently exist,
although additional research is necessary for
advancement in the precision and efficiency of
monitoring procedures.
 The quantity of mercury entering the municipal
waste stream must also be assessed by examining
the recycling and proper disposal of mercury
containing products.

23.  The EAF is a composite value and is the product of the prevalence of a risk factor
multiplied by the relative risk of disease associated with that risk factor. Its
calculation is useful in developing strategies for resource allocation and
prioritization in public health. The general model developed by the IOM and used
in the present analysis is the following

24.  Protect public health
 Overdue reductions lead to vital health
benefits—Until now there were no national
limits on emissions of mercury and other air
toxics from power plants. Uncontrolled
releases of toxic air
 pollutants like mercury – a neurotoxin – can
impair children’s ability to learn.

25.  Practical, cost‐effective and protective
standards
 These standards will end 20 years of industry
uncertainty while leveling the playing
 field for power plants, ensuring that modern
pollution controls are installed.
 Reliable, affordable energy—The standards
clean the air and keep the lights on.

26.  The Mercury and Air Toxics
 Standards Will Prevent:
 Once Implemented
 (cases each year)
 Premature Death Up to 11,000
 Chronic Bronchitis 2,800
 Heart Attacks 4,700
 Asthma Attacks 130,000
 Hospital and Emergency Room Visits 5,700
 Restricted Activity Days 3,200,000

27. • Together, MATS and the Cross‐State Air Pollution Rule are estimated to
provide annual benefits of $150‐$380 billion and prevent 18,000 – 46,000
premature deaths, 540,000 asthma attacks, 13,000 emergency room visits
and 2 million missed work or school day each year.

28.  While the Clean Mercury Rule will begin to
incrementally reduce emissions from coal fired
power plants, the Mercury Emission Act will
drastically reduce such emissions from coal
combustion and virtually eliminate releases of
mercury from the household product incineration
within the next five years.
 The control technologies necessary to achieve a
large portion of these reductions are already
commercially available. Over the course of the bill,
the labeling and separation of products containing
mercury will increase awareness about mercury in
household products.