Recent Developments
Use of selenium in manganese metal production threatens selenium exposure
In recent years, an increasing source of exposures is the addition of selenium to speed processing and reduce costs of manganese metal production. This use of selenium results in the presence of up to 1500 parts per million (ppm) selenium in the manganese metal as well as potential worker exposures and emissions of selenium during manganese metal production. Currently, all but 5 of approximately 150 manganese metal producers in China use selenium.
Chinese-produced manganese metal is now widely used in the American aluminum and steel industries, increasing potential exposures to unhealthy levels of selenium among workers and their communities, and increasing hazardous waste disposal costs to companies. In China, there have been reports of protests by workers and their families over dust emissions, sludge disposal and wastewater discharges from manganese metal plants.