Towards Thallium Flows in China and Thallium Safety Utilization

Thallium (Tl) is a heavymetal with multiple applications and high toxicity. As one of the largest producers of Tl, China faces a relatively high risk of Tl-associated contamination accidents. This study aims to identify the potential contamination in each life cycle stage of Tl production in China from 2011 to 2021 by examining Tl flows. The results show that: (1) Tl production increased slowly by only 11% during this study period, while domestic Tl consumption increased by 88%; (2) in the separation stage, where most contamination accidents occurred, approximately 98% of Tl was lost; (3) Tl-containing end-of-life products were rarely recycled, with most directly discarded into the environment. The criticality of Tl supply is not severe, but the risk of associated Tl contamination accidents remains high because of the increasing consumption. By considering these challenges and the Chinese realities, we propose several policy recommendations to prevent Tl contamination accidents and improve Tl resource efficiency.