PRESS RELEASE – 18 September 2018

BMT solidifies its position as the world’s leading mercury waste management specialist
Innovative technology eliminates dangerous transportation of toxic waste

ROTTERDAM – Mercury waste management specialist BMT has taken over the mercury
activities of M&R Claushuis. BMT is expanding its facilities in the Netherlands and
Thailand, while opening two new treatment plants in Australia. With these multi-million
euro investments BMT solidifies its position as the leading waste management specialist
that can now process any kind of mercury waste.

BMT mainly purifies, treats and recycles mercury contaminated waste substances which are
hazardous by-products of the on- and offshore industry. M&R Claushuis is a specialist in the
treatment of products that contain mercury like batteries, energy efficient light bulbs and
medical equipment. The activities of M&R Claushuis in the Dutch town of Zeewolde will be
relocated to BMT’s facilities in the Netherlands, Thailand and Australia. Due to its expansion,
BMT now has enlarged capacity and gained knowledge to also process ‘e-waste’, an
increasing stream of mercury waste that consists out of e.g. old computers, flat screens and
electrical parts.

Local treatment facilities

The biggest volumes of elementary mercury waste, with the highest concentration and the
most dangerous toxicity, are produced by on- and offshore heavy industries. BMT strives to
place installations in the country where these particular waste streams arise, where its
competitors still ship toxic mercury waste to facilities in Europe and Japan. Often through
ecologically sensitive areas and to a natural disaster sensitive area. Global environmental
treaties aim to reduce the dangers surrounding mercury such as the encouragement of
proper treatment processes prior disposal and discouragement of international (sea)
transport of mercury. BMT is the only waste management specialist that honours these
treaties, to the benefit of its customers and the governments involved.
“Processing and treating mercury waste is a highly specialised niche market, but one that
needs scale in order to be able to locally process mercury safely and environmentally
friendly”, says Robert Jan Dubbeldam, CEO of BMT Group. BMT shows its commitment to
limiting transportation of toxic mercury waste even further: it has recently developed
mobile treatment facilities for treatment of smaller volumes of mercury waste. These can be
placed close to the source, eliminating transportation of mercury waste almost completely.

Handling with care

Mercury is a naturally occurring element found in waste streams of the industry and as a
component in waste streams of e-waste. It is classified as toxic by inhalation and thru
consumption, mercury causes concerns worldwide. The Minamata Convention, which has
been signed by 140 countries and came into effect last year, aims to reduce mercury
pollution. It is named after the Japanese city where thousands of people died due to
mercury poisoning: a chemical factory released mercury contaminated industrial
wastewater in rivers. The mercury ended up in the food chain, leading to severe
neurological problems in animals and humans.
Growth
BMT is expecting significant growth in the coming years as more and more countries are
ratifying the Minamata Convention. A country like Thailand leads the way when it comes to
the treatment of this toxic waste: it houses the only treatment plants dedicated to the
treatment of mercury in South East Asia and these plants contain the most modern
technology and provide the highest capacity in the world dedicated to the treatment of
highly toxic mercury waste. “We have the highest regards for the Thai Government for its
leadership to encourage and support such an important environmentally friendly
development in South East Asia”, says Robert Jan Dubbeldam, CEO.
“Other countries still have a long way to go”, says Steven Kranendonk, General Manager of
BMT Europe. “For instance, in the UK a substantial part of mercury waste from the offshore
industry is mixed with regular waste streams until the concentration levels are low enough
for it to be legally processed in regular waste incinerator plants, a questionable practice
generally known as ‘dilution is the solution’. That practice means the toxic mercury is
released in the air when it’s burned.” Landfills are also used for mercury waste, resulting in
groundwater contamination. “They both seem cheap solutions, but only on the short term.
Mercury is highly toxic, leading to serious health problems – it should be kept out of our
immediate environment and disposed properly.”

About BMT
BMT (Best Mercury Technology) is a leading mercury waste management specialist that
purifies, treats and recycles any kind of mercury waste substances as well as NORM
(Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials) waste. The company has fully licensed recycling
facilities in the Netherlands and Thailand. BMT is building two more plants in Australia, the
factory in Perth will be opening in June 2019, the facilities in Darwin will start operations
early 2020. BMT commenced its operations in the Netherlands in 1991 and has been
providing solutions to the global on- and offshore industries since that time.

How does BMT process mercury waste?

BMT’s solution to mercury waste is its innovative process of vacuum distillation. The
technique BMT developed is considered to be the safest and cleanest way to deal with
mercury waste. Steven Kranendonk, General Manager of BMT Europe, explains: “The
contaminated waste is heated in a vacuum, causing the mercury to evaporate. We capture
the mercury gas, liquefy it and stabilise the now pure mercury for safe and sustainable
storage.”
This method can also be used to eliminate other toxic substances in waste streams.

Robert Jan Dubbeldam

CEO & Member of the Board
BMT Group
rjd@bmt-mercury.com
+31651667339

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