Coal use goes way up in China 1996-2010:

2010: 2,666 million short tons

1996: 1,500 million short tons

Source: DOE/EIA, 1998, reference case

And Coal Carbon Emissions Double in China: 1996-2010

1212 Metric Tons

682 Metric Tons

Source: DOE/EIA, 1998, reference case

1990-2000: Annual global Hg emissions doubled from 1.1 to 2.2 metric tons Asian emissions increased 58%, from 705 to 1204 tons a year

SOURCE: EPA

SOURCE: EPA

Urbanization, Energy & Air Pollution in China

Asia, and China in particular, is NOW the single largest source of mercury from human activity (Pacyna et al., 2002). China contributes 500 Mg (1 Mg = 106 g = 1 metric ton) from small industrial furnaces and village-level coal burning, ALONE.

THE PACIFIC MERCURY PLUMES Measurements by aircraft in 2001 and 2002 tracked mercury from industrialized southeast China, near Shanghai, and later detected the same mix of mercury and co-pollutants penetrating the west coast of the United States. These measurements were able to discriminate between urban anthropogenic sources of mercury and background natural sources.

THE SHANGHAI PLUME

(Moves up and down Pacific Coast)

Lower urban mercury plume. 10-day traverse from South China Sea, ending May 5, 2002. Trajectory calculations by N.O.A.A.

THE MONGOLIAN PLUME

Upper Central Asia mercury plume, five-day traverse of eastern China and North Pacific from Mongolian plateau origin region, ending May 5, 2002. Trajectory calculations by N.O.A.A.

The information on this map represents modeled exposure estimates rather than measured exposures

Jacob Buck Pond, Maine

Mercury accumulation rates in northeast US lakes during the 20th Century: 27.1-175.4 mcg per square meter per year Peak values after 1970. Actual accumulation rates from fallout alone: 10.466.3 mcg/m2/year.

Mercury and Wildfires

A smoking gun?

Mercury emissions from this boreal forest fire near Hearst, Ontario, Canada, last July were measured with instruments aboard a Twin Otter aircraft.

The National Center for Atmospheric Research and the University of Washington Forest Fire Tests 2001
Mercury is picked up by surfaces --leaves or needles and it stays there until those trees burn. Friedli and Radke conducted lab tests by burning forest samples from across the US -- Sensors immediately detected mercury. All samples released nearly all the mercury, ranging from 14 to 71 nanograms per gram of fuel -- a nanogram is one trillionth of a gram. Average acre of forest contains about 22 tons (10,000 kg) of fuel. Each acre of a fire can emit up to 71 grams of mercury, which is 71 MILLION mcg, or about 2.5 ounces. Fires are estimated to contribute 800 tons of mercury each year, or 25% of all anthropogenic sources. The EPA estimates that U.S. coal-fired plants emit 41 tons Hg.

11 of top 20 CA fires happened in the last 10 years

SOURCE: Calif. Dept. of Forestry

YEARS

No. FIRES

ACRES MERCURY BURNED RELEASED*

STRUCTURES DESTROYED

1995-2000

32,038

740,858

57.8 tons

2,049

2001-2005 % Increase

34,110 +6%

860,260 +16%

67.2 tons +16% +353%

7,228

*Estimate based on 22 tons of fuel burned per acre

Cremation costs to rise as tooth fillings poison the living

8th January 2007

Cremations now cause nearly 1/6th of all UK mercury emissions. This would likely rise by 2/3rds by 2020, making crematoria the biggest cause of mercury pollution. Cremations now account for 3/4ths of UK funerals. The rise in mercury pollution from crematoria is caused by what dentists call the "heavy metal generation" - those 40 and above who are now dying with more teeth because of better dental care. Millions of Britons have two to four grams of mercury in their mouths. One gram can pollute a 25-acre lake. Austria, Belgium, Germany, Holland, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland now regulate mercury emissions from crematoria