THE MERCURY CONUNDRUM

Abstract

LAST SEPTEMBER, HOLTRACHEM Manufacturing Co. shuttered its mercury cell chlor-alkali plant in Orrington, Maine, and joined a growing list of U.S. companies that have ended their use of mercury-based technologies. In HoltraChem's case, the troubled company just wanted out of the chlorine and sodium hydroxide business, the plant manager says. And, like all prudent executives, HoltraCherris managers began to sell off the company's equipment and raw materials, including 130 tons of mercury. sold the stockpile to D. F. Goldsmith Chemical & Metal Corp. of Evanston, Ill., one of a handful of U.S. metals brokers that trade mercury Goldsmith resold it to buyers in India for use there, company President Donald F. Goldsmith says. All of this is perfectly legal and is nothing out of the ordinary Goldsmith stresses. It is a fairly common occurrence as many chlorine-caustic operations have either closed in the U.S. or switched to membranetype technology systems that don't employ mercury ...