Now that cell phones are choking hazards and television is high def, it’s hard to believe some chlorine plants are still using mercury-cell technology developed back in 1894. The good news is that in the last 48 hours, one of these technological dinosaurs has agreed to enter the 21st century. Each plant that uses this technology emits hundreds of pounds of mercury pollution to our environment every year. So it is cause to celebrate when another one of these dinosaurs agrees to go mercury free.
The Pioneer chlorine plant in Louisiana will switch to mercury-free technology by the end of 2008 as part of an expansion. The plant, which reported emitting almost 800 pounds of mercury pollution in 2005, expects to increase its energy efficiency by nearly 30% as a result of its conversion, and will save about $31 million each year, making even more of a wonder that they are not all doing it.
Oceana has been working to convince these plants to go mercury free since early 2005. Of the original nine chlorine plants using outdated technology when we started the campaign, Pioneer is the fourth to commit to eliminating its mercury emissions. Its conversion will reduce mercury emissions in Louisiana by almost 20%.
