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<p>China’s hydrometallurgical zinc smelting industry, accounting for 80% of the total global zinc output, faces critical mercury waste challenges under the Minamata Convention on Mercury with 600–800 tons per year mercury input. Through a political, economic, social, and technological analysis, this study identifies massive-scale mercury waste generation driven by stringent emission standards and specialized removal technologies, focusing on the internal strengths and weaknesses as well as external opportunities and threats. Analytical results demonstrate strengths in China’s policy frameworks but reveal critical weaknesses in outdated regulatory standards and technical capacity for Category A waste management. Declining market demand for by-product mercury threatens circular economics, while international technical cooperation offers crucial pathways for mercury waste treatment technology upgrading and alignment with global environmentally sound management standards. Findings underscore the necessity to tighten material standards, advance mercury recycling technologies, and implement best environmental practices to ensure sustainable industry development.</p>

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Mercury waste management trend analysis for the Minamata Convention implementation in China’s zinc smelting industry

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年9月30日

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  • Ziying Zhao,
  • Jini Yang,
  • Jiaxin Yin,
  • Shuhui Guo,
  • Meng Li,
  • Jianxin Zhu

摘要

China’s hydrometallurgical zinc smelting industry, accounting for 80% of the total global zinc output, faces critical mercury waste challenges under the Minamata Convention on Mercury with 600–800 tons per year mercury input. Through a political, economic, social, and technological analysis, this study identifies massive-scale mercury waste generation driven by stringent emission standards and specialized removal technologies, focusing on the internal strengths and weaknesses as well as external opportunities and threats. Analytical results demonstrate strengths in China’s policy frameworks but reveal critical weaknesses in outdated regulatory standards and technical capacity for Category A waste management. Declining market demand for by-product mercury threatens circular economics, while international technical cooperation offers crucial pathways for mercury waste treatment technology upgrading and alignment with global environmentally sound management standards. Findings underscore the necessity to tighten material standards, advance mercury recycling technologies, and implement best environmental practices to ensure sustainable industry development.