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Archived: Air Pollutant Emission Inventory report: chapter 2.9

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2.9 Mercury (Hg)

Approximately 4.3 t of Hg were emitted in Canada in 2016 (Table 2–11). Ore and mineral industries accounted for 33% (1.4 t) of Hg in 2016, with iron and steel industries contributing 17% (0.71 t) of the annual total. Incineration and waste sources also accounted for 31% (1.3 t) of Hg in 2016, with the waste sector being the largest contributor at 13% (0.57 t). Electric power generation (utilities) sources accounted for 17% (0.71 t) of 2016 emissions, most of which were emitted from coal-powered electric generation (16% of annual total, 0.68 t).

Between 1990 and 2016, Hg emissions decreased by 88% (31 t) (Figure 2–9). This decrease in emissions is mainly due to a large drop in emissions from the non-ferrous smelting and mining industry. Reductions in this sector coincide with facilities changing from pyrometallurgical to hydrometallurgical zinc production. As with lead and cadmium emissions, reductions in mercury emissions from this sector coincide with the closure of outdated smelters and the publication of a Notice requiring the preparation and implementation of pollution prevention plans and, to a smaller extent, to increased emission control measures, such as separation or changing of production materials, improved particulate matter emission controls and fuel switching (ECCC 2017). Reductions from electric power generation (utilities) are largely due to the closure of coal-fired electricity generation facilities and from the addition of mercury controls to plants. The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) also developed several Canada-wide standards aimed at reducing the amount of Hg released into waste streams and to the environment , including standards for mercury-containing lamps, dental amalgam waste, as well as mercury emissions from coal-fired electric power generation plants.

The most significant changes in Hg emissions from 1990 to 2016 include:

Figure 2-9: Major contributors to national Hg trends
Figure 2-9 (See long description below)
Long description for figure 2-9

Figure 2-9 displays the five major sections that contribute to National Hg trends. The following table displays the contributions (t) for the years 1990 to 2016.

Figure 2-9: Major contributors to national Hg trends (t)
Sector 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Sector 1 - Non-Ferrous Mining and Smelting Industry 24.90383 24.86516 24.77849 10.63323 8.259225 4.647225 5.675582 3.391398 2.835761717 2.27621 1.939635 2.12455 1.75016 1.288234 1.900836 1.701515 1.278611 1.416764 1.008495 0.839795 0.540576 0.210208 0.252115 0.358514 0.285666 0.175462 0.223825
Sector 2 - Iron and Steel Industries 0.952516 0.974495 0.99197 1.192215 1.057658 1.029177 1.051612 1.106883 1.124402953 1.137147 1.144629 1.128299 1.211393 1.16735 0.987886 0.793229 0.713993 0.889639 0.515859 0.453877 0.563821 0.578976 0.679739 0.696461 0.724815 0.721324 0.712892
Sector 3 - Coal (Electric Power Generation) 1.945885 1.837908 2.06204 1.878636 1.940682 1.943702 2.052417 2.191296 2.28234493 2.296325 1.963452 2.005671 1.98936 2.270469 2.217719 2.049217 1.899754 2.072875 1.50709 1.579718 1.45155 0.913433 0.809776 0.799617 0.665641 0.684096 0.675422
Sector 4 - Waste Treatment and Disposal 1.981233 1.99201 2.141136 2.02776 2.117954 2.395279 1.074425 0.908837 0.74609715 0.746375 1.1508 1.080843 0.869627 0.556285 0.56001 0.495597 0.504424 0.510927 0.52425 0.463412 0.480655 0.517867 0.520375 0.483283 0.523388 0.496387 0.469691
Sector 5 - Other 5.224099 5.314241 5.224542 5.104068 4.924968 4.824282 4.601002 4.336204 4.042439414 3.787309 3.908654 3.177063 3.057145 3.098337 2.755234 2.471061 2.438784 2.71105 2.94595 2.392063 2.40909 2.335166 2.166686 2.207541 2.164739 2.253681 2.198942
Table 2-11: National summary of annual Hg emissions (kg)
Source Sector 1990 2000 2005 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Ore and Mineral Industries nil 27 000 3 700 2 900 1 200 1 400 1 500 1 400 1 400 1 400
Ore and Mineral Industries Aluminium Industry 18 31 43 19 15 21 19 21 21
Ore and Mineral Industries Asphalt Paving Industry 24 22 22 27 21 20 22 23 23
Ore and Mineral Industries Cement and Concrete Industry 460 390 210 300 300 310 300 380 340
Ore and Mineral Industries Foundries 210 120 4.2 no emissions (-) - - - - -
Ore and Mineral Industries Iron and Steel Industries 950 1 100 790 580 680 700 720 720 710
Ore and Mineral Industries Iron Ore Industry 60 60 50 100 98 100 74 72 72
Ore and Mineral Industries Mineral Products Industry - - - - - - - - -
Ore and Mineral Industries Mining and Rock Quarrying 12 12 28 3.9 5.0 8.5 20 20 16
Ore and Mineral Industries Non-Ferrous Mining and Smelting Industry 25 000 1 900 1 700 210 250 360 290 180 220
Oil and Gas Industry nil 120 61 83 100 100 120 89 74 81
Oil and Gas Industry Downstream Oil and Gas Industry 110 26 46 46 45 48 46 49 53
Oil and Gas Industry Upstream Oil and Gas Industry 3.0 36 38 59 59 68 44 25 28
Electric Power Generation (Utilities) nil 2 300 2 100 2 200 1 000 860 850 710 740 720
Electric Power Generation (Utilities) Coal 1 900 2 000 2 000 910 810 800 670 680 680
Electric Power Generation (Utilities) Diesel - - - - - - - - -
Electric Power Generation (Utilities) Natural Gas 12 22 27 56 23 23 19 26 11
Electric Power Generation (Utilities) Waste Materials 50 96 7.1 1.7 1.5 0.64 0.80 6.0 2.2
Electric Power Generation (Utilities) Other Electric Power Generation 290 62 91 46 23 23 28 26 30
Manufacturing nil 1 100 1 400 300 110 140 130 120 130 140
Manufacturing Abrasives Manufacture - - - - - - - - -
Manufacturing Bakeries - - - - - - - - -
Manufacturing Biofuel Production - - - - - - - - -
Manufacturing Chemicals Industry 170 82 58 16 23 17 18 15 17
Manufacturing Electronics 380 750 56 17 17 17 17 18 29
Manufacturing Food Preparation 0.14 0.14 0.3 - - - - - -
Manufacturing Glass Manufacture 28 28 21 - - - - - -
Manufacturing Grain Industries - - - - - - - - -
Manufacturing Metal Fabrication 16 17 17 11 11 7.5 <0.01 <0.01 0.0080
Manufacturing Plastics Manufacture 0.0050 0.0050 - - - - - - -
Manufacturing Pulp and Paper Industry 98 130 59 42 53 50 60 70 71
Manufacturing Textiles - - - - - - - - -
Manufacturing Vehicle Manufacture (Engines, Parts, Assembly, Painting) 0.012 0.012 0.023 - - - - - -
Manufacturing Wood Products 260 190 90 21 31 31 18 18 18
Manufacturing Other Manufacturing Industries 150 180 4.0 3.8 3.4 3.4 3.4 3.4 3.4
Transportation and Mobile Equipment nil 110 100 100 89 89 85 86 81 75
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Air Transportation - - - - - - - - -
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Heavy-duty Diesel Vehicles <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Heavy-duty Gasoline Vehicles <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Heavy-duty LPG/NG Vehicles <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Light-duty Diesel Trucks <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Light-duty Diesel Vehicles <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Light-duty Gasoline Trucks <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 0.011 0.011 0.012 0.012 0.013 0.014
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Light-duty Gasoline Vehicles 0.011 0.012 0.013 0.013 0.013 0.013 0.013 0.013 0.013
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Light-duty LPG/NG Trucks <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Light-duty LPG/NG Vehicles <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Marine Transportation 4.3 6.2 7.2 5.7 4.8 3.9 3 2.1 2.2
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Motorcycles <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01 <0.01
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Off-road Diesel Vehicles and Equipment - - - - - - - - -
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Off-road Gasoline/LPG/CNG Vehicles and Equipment - - - - - - - - -
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Rail Transportation 100 98 95 83 84 81 83 79 73
Transportation and Mobile Equipment Tire Wear and Brake Lining - - - - - - - - -
Agriculture nil 2.8 3.4 3.2 7.4 7.5 7.8 8.3 7.3 7.0
Agriculture Animal Production - - - - - - - - -
Agriculture Crop Production - - - - - - - - -
Agriculture Fuel Use 2.8 3.4 3.2 7.4 7.5 7.8 8.3 7.3 7.0
Commercial / Residential / Institutional nil 1 100 600 560 550 540 550 560 550 540
Commercial / Residential / Institutional Cigarette Smoking 0.21 0.18 0.14 0.13 0.13 0.11 0.11 0.097 0.098
Commercial / Residential / Institutional Commercial and Institutional Fuel Combustion 47 62 63 58 57 58 62 57 57
Commercial / Residential / Institutional Commercial Cooking - - - - - - - - -
Commercial / Residential / Institutional Construction Fuel Combustion 2.6 1.7 2.6 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.1 2.2 2.2
Commercial / Residential / Institutional Home Firewood Burning 54 48 40 41 41 41 40 40 40
Commercial / Residential / Institutional Human 110 20 15 15 15 15 15 15 15
Commercial / Residential / Institutional Marine Cargo Handling - - 2.8 - - - - - -
Commercial / Residential / Institutional Residential Fuel Combustion 64 76 75 77 71 76 80 75 67
Commercial / Residential / Institutional Service Stations - - - - - - - - -
Commercial / Residential / Institutional Other Miscellaneous Sources 870 390 360 360 360 360 360 360 360
Incineration and Waste nil 3 600 2 100 1 400 1 400 1 300 1 300 1 300 1 300 1 300
Incineration and Waste Crematoriums 100 140 180 230 230 250 260 280 270
Incineration and Waste Waste Incineration 1 500 810 750 680 570 570 570 570 570
Incineration and Waste Waste Treatment and Disposal 2 000 1 200 500 520 520 480 520 500 470
Paints and Solvents nil - - - - - - - - -
Paints and Solvents Dry Cleaning - - - - - - - - -
Paints and Solvents General Solvent Use - - - - - - - - -
Paints and Solvents Printing - - - - - - - - -
Paints and Solvents Surface Coatings - - - - - - - - -
Dust nil - - - - - - - - -
Dust Coal Transportation - - - - - - - - -
Dust Construction Operations - - - - - - - - -
Dust Mine Tailings - - - - - - - - -
Dust Paved Roads - - - - - - - - -
Dust Unpaved Roads - - - - - - - - -
Fires nil - - - - - - - - -
Fires Prescribed Forest Burning - - - - - - - - -
Fires Structural Fires - - - - - - - - -
Grand Total nil 35 000 10 000 7 500 4 600 4 400 4 500 4 400 4 300 4 300

Notes:
totals may not add up due to rounding
- denotes no emissions

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