Renegade Chlorine Plants Need to Stop Using Mercury

Oceana, a non-profit organization dedicated to turning the tide on ocean destruction, has released a new report that details how the five renegade chlorine plants that are the top mercury polluters could improve their bottom line by eliminating mercury use.

Oceana's report is entitled "Cleaning Up: Taking Mercury-Free Chlorine Production to the Bank". The report takes an in-depth look at over 115 chlorine plants that have successfully eliminated or are shifting away from the use of mercury in chlorine production.

Oceana's analysis of the use of mercury in chlorine plants is compelling. By switching to mercury-free technology--a method already utilized to produce 90 percent of the chlorine in the United States-the chlorine plants in question would not only increase energy efficiency but also would increase capacity, sales and ultimately profits. However, the five U.S. facilities-dubbed The Filthy Five by the report--remain wedded to 110-year-old technology of using mercy in chlorine production, releasing on average, four times more mercury per each of their five plants than the average power plant using mercury-free technology.

Jackie Savitz, Director of Oceana's Campaign to Stop Seafood Contamination explains. "The chlorine industry's dirty little secret is that five U.S. plants are releasing thousands of pounds of mercury into the environment each year. Their refusal to switch to mercury-free technology -- a cost-effective solution adopted by the majority of plants around the world -- is an outrage that should concern citizens and shareholders alike." The five U.S. chlorine plants that refuse to switch to the mercury-free technology are: Ashta Chemicals in Ashtabula, Ohio; Olin Corporation's two plants in Charleston, Tenn., and Augusta, Ga.; PPG Industries in Natrium, W.Va.; and ERCO Worldwide in Port Edwards, Wis.