China New network news on November 24, reporters from the China Chlor-alkali Industry Association held in Beijing at the 16th General Assembly to learn that the domestic mercury-free catalyst is setting off a research and development boom, the parties are actively promoting the calcium carbide method polyvinyl chloride (PVC) to fulfill the "Minamata Convention on mercury" work. Zhang Xin, vice chairman of China Chlor-alkali Industry Association, said that the industry has the determination and confidence to fulfill the agreement, vigorously promote the research and development and application of mercury-free catalyst, and realize the industry mercury-free at an early date.

On 16 August 2017, 17 ministries jointly issued the entry into force of the Minamata Convention on Mercury. Earlier in 2010, China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation and China Chlor-alkali Industry Association decided on the working line of "reduction and mercury-free" to spontaneously organize the prevention and control of mercury pollution, laying a solid foundation for the industry to implement the agreement.

According to Zhang Xin, over the past 10 years, the chlor-alkali industry has been vigorously promoting the prevention and control of mercury pollution in accordance with the working route of "reduction and mercury-free". On the basis of a lot of work actively carried out by PVC enterprises with calcium carbide process, certain results have been achieved, which has strengthened the industry's confidence in the "reduction, prevention and treatment" of mercury related problems in PVC with calcium carbide process. Lead quality improvement by formulating national standards for low mercury catalyst products and carrying out announcement management of qualified low mercury catalyst suppliers, so that relevant enterprises can use good catalyst; Through the formulation of "Guidance Manual for Application of Low Mercury Catalyst" and "Technical Guide for Efficient Application of Low mercury Catalyst in Polyvinyl chloride Industry by calcium Carbide Process", the industry can be guided to use catalyst well; By participating in the formulation of "Discharge Standards of pollutants from caustic soda and polyvinyl chloride Industry" and actively promoting advanced applicable technologies for mercury pollution prevention and control and carrying out cleaner production work, mercury emission reduction in the industry is achieved; Through the mercury balance verification work of the leading backbone enterprises in the industry, various mercury related links are sorted out. The "high efficiency application of low mercury catalyst + high efficiency recovery of gaseous mercury" can not only make mercury recovery efficient, but also reduce the dependence on primary mercury mine. Since 2016, the industry has implemented the full implementation of low-mercury catalysts to replace high-mercury catalysts, focusing on the efficient application of low-mercury catalysts, efficient recovery of mercury and efficient implementation of mercury-free catalysts.

Mercury-free catalyst is not only the key point of calcium carbide PVC implementation, but also the key to the green and sustainable development of the industry. It is understood that the domestic mercury-free catalyst is setting off a research and development boom. At present, the research and development of mercury-free catalyst based on the existing technology mainly has three directions. First, the precious metal mercury-free catalyst is mainly gold based mercury-free catalyst and ruthenium based mercury-free catalyst. Second, non-precious metal mercury-free catalyst, represented by cupric mercury-free catalyst; The third is non-metallic mercury-free catalyst. Through the transformation of "carbon", metal-free mercury-free catalyst of graphene-like material is made.

"After small trials, single or multi-tube side-line evaluation, and industrial converter side-line evaluation, a number of companies are now conducting the evaluation of 10,000 ton mercury-free catalyst applications. At present, the application and evaluation results of gold-based mercury-free catalysts and cupric mercury-free catalysts are outstanding, and the prospect is promising." Zhang Xin said.

In spite of this, the current situation of PVC mercury pollution prevention and implementation by calcium carbide method is still very serious. From 2021, China will prohibit the production and import and export of mercury-containing products listed in the announcement. As the industry that consumes the largest amount of mercury in China, calcium carbide PVC has an arduous task to fulfill the agreement.

At the meeting, Li Shousheng, president of the Petrochemical Association, and the relevant leaders of the raw material department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said that although calcium carbide method PVC mercury pollution prevention work has made great progress, but the next step is still to continue to increase efforts to firmly implement the agreement. The person in charge of the Department of Solid Waste and Chemicals of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment requires the PVC industry of calcium carbide process to strictly implement the requirements of the Convention in the aspects of new installations, mercury content control of unit products, mercury pollution prevention and reduction, and the promotion of mercury-free research and development.

Zhang Xin said that the chlor-alkali industry is related to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, the Montreal Convention and the Minamata Convention on Mercury, and has rich experience in implementing the convention. Even in the face of great difficulties and challenges, the industry has the confidence to do a good job in implementing the convention.

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