Canada’s Air Pollutant Emissions Inventory Report 2024: annex 2.11

A2.11 Estimation Methodology for Mercury in Products

Mercury in Products

Description

Mercury in Products covers emissions from products throughout their life cycle, from manufacture to final disposition. The following products are included:

• automotive switches
• switches and relays
• batteries
• dental amalgams
• fluorescent lamps
• non-fluorescent lamps
• measurement and control devices
• thermometers
• thermostats
• tire balancers

Emissions from the above devices impact the following sectors/subsectors:

• Iron and Steel Industry—Secondary (Electric Arc Furnaces)
• Iron and Steel Industry—Steel Recycling
• Electronics
• Other (Manufacturing)
• Human Respiration (Miscellaneous Other)
• Municipal Incineration
• Landfills
• Residential Waste Burning
• Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Discharge

General Inventory Method

Pollutant(s) estimated:

Hg

Mercury emissions from 1990 to 2008 are estimated based on the model Substance Flow Analysis of Mercury in Products originally developed by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and modified by ToxEcology Environmental. In 2018, the methodology was updated by Cheminfo Services with a specific focus on 2009 forward. However, at that time, work was also done to support time series consistency, which affected emissions from 1990 to 2008 at the national level (Barr Engineering, 2001; ToxEcology, 2007; 2009; Cheminfo Services, 2018). The current model version includes provincial and territorial distribution from 1990 forward and aspects related to the fluorescent and non-fluorescent lamp models from 2009 forward.

The Mercury in Products models use a lifecycle approach which consider releases from manufacturing, in-service breakage, recycling, transportation and storage of items sent to disposal as well as the ultimate disposal point for each product. The update completed by Cheminfo Services in 2018 allocated emissions to provinces and territories based on product type from 2009 forward. Prior to this update, emissions were not allocated based on product type. For the current inventory, emissions from 1990 to 2008 were redistributed based on product type for time series consistency. In addition, emissions were reallocated for the open burning, sewage sludge incineration and municipal incineration sectors from 1990 forward to better link these practices to the provinces where they take place.

Activity Data

ToxEcology (2007, 2009) and Cheminfo Services (2018).

Emission Factors (EF)

A modified version of the model entitled Substance Flow Analysis of Mercury in Products by Barr Engineering (2001) was used in conjunction with updates from ToxEcology (2007) and Cheminfo Services (2018). The model includes partitioning factors for the various streams from manufacture through final disposal, including emission factors at every point along the way.

References, Annex 2.11, Estimation methodology for Mercury in Products

Barr Engineering. 2001. Substance flow analysis of mercury in products. Minneapolis (MN): Barr Engineering. Prepared for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

Cheminfo Services. 2018. Updating Environment and Climate Change Canada's mercury-in-products flow model for the purpose of improving Canada's air pollution emission inventory. Unpublished report. Markham (ON): Cheminfo, C. Services, Producer. Prepared for Environment and Climate Change Canada.

ToxEcology. 2007. Mass balance study for mercury-containing products model. Unpublished report. Vancouver (BC): ToxEcology. Prepared for Environment Canada.

ToxEcology. 2009. Mercury mass balance model_2008 [Excel spreadsheet]. Unpublished report. Vancouver (BC): ToxEcology. Prepared for Environment Canada.