Mercury is used intentionally in various industrial processes or released unintentionally from certain industrial processes.
Usually in industrial processes that intentionally use mercury, the releases into the environment occur through:
- Emissions and wastes generated during the production of mercury both primary and secondary production for instance through mining and as a by-product respectively.
- Releases during the recycling of wastes
- Releases form sludge, residues, contaminated equipment and supplies produced during the process
- Releases from trace or mercury residue from products produced through a mercury process.
- Process releases for instance fugitive air emissions.
