The impact of the official entry into force of the Mercury Convention on the development of the PVC industry
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On August 16, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and other relevant departments jointly issued Announcement No. 38 of 2017 – the Announcement on the Entry into Force of the Minamata Convention on Mercury. This announcement stipulates that, as of August 16, 2017, it is prohibited to use mercury or mercury compounds as catalysts, or catalysts containing mercury, in new production processes for acetaldehyde, vinyl chloride monomer, and polyurethanes； The use of mercury or mercury compounds is prohibited in new production processes for sodium methoxide, potassium methoxide, sodium ethoxide, and potassium ethoxide. In 2020, the amount of mercury used per unit of product in the production process of vinyl chloride monomer was 50% lower than in 2010...... The use of mercury-catalyzed processes in new vinyl chloride production projects is prohibited. Those who are aware of this situation are invited to discuss whether current mercury-free catalysts and processes are ready for industrial application
Several companies are currently researching mercury-free catalysts, but none have released any actual data. All manufacturers have essentially completed the replacement of high-mercury catalysts with low-mercury catalysts; of course, some manufacturers are still using high-mercury catalysts in violation of regulations.
Mercury-free products have already begun to be promoted, but due to cost reasons, several manufacturers have tried them out yet have not made any purchases.
The main reason is the low conversion rate of mercury-free catalysts, which results in low production volumes.