Annual Production
World production 2000 157 million tonnes
EU production 1997 18.1 million tonnes
UK production 1997 1.21 million tonnes

Sulphuric acid is the world's largest volume bulk chemical. At one time, the production of sulphuric acid was used as a measure of the economic strength of a country, sulphuric acid being involved in many industrial processes. This is less true today, with less emphasis on manufacturing as the basis of a nation's prosperity.

Sulphuric acid manufacture is closely tied to sulphur dioxide recovery. Concerns over the impact of this pollutant have resulted in much of the supply of sulphur and sulphur dioxide being from processes that would otherwise generate unacceptable emissions or unacceptable amounts of waste.

This means that variations in production method and feedstock reflect a need to minimise environmental impact, at the same time as generating an essential product.

 

 

 

 

 

diagram: Sulphuric acid
Graph: EEC producers of sulphuric acid

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