Mercury is a neurotoxin that accumulates in the food chain and can
damage the brain, spinal cord, kidneys and liver. It has been linked to
attention deficit disorder in children, and is particularly hazardous
to developing fetuses and young children. Poison control centers and
emergency rooms took 18,000 calls in 1998 because of broken mercury
fever thermometers.
Fish consumption advisories exist
in 40 states due to mercury contamination. Broken thermometers, which
each contain one-half gram of the substance, are a big source of the
pollution. That half gram is sufficient to spoil the water in 200
Olympic-sized pools, or 5 million gallons. There are better
alternatives to poisonous mercury thermometers, such as digital and
glass with alcohol or galinstan.
Mercury emissions
from coal-fired power plants lead to contamination of our nation's
waterways. Fish eating advisories are in place in many states that
recommended a limited consumption of fish from certain waterways. New
technologies are making mercury emissions control more economical.
Several
agencies and local governments have taken steps to phase out mercury
thermometers. In 1998, the American Hospital Association signed an
agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency promising to
phase out the use of mercury thermometers among its members.
More Information:
On January 5, 2006, Illinois Governor Blagojevich proposed a strong
set of mercury pollution control standards. The proposal would require
coal plant owners to install modern pollution control equipment to
reduce mercury pollution by 90 percent or more by June 30, 2009. Unlike
other state mercury reduction efforts that involved some sort of
legislative catalyst, the Illinois effort appears to be an executive
directive from the Governor to the Illinois Pollution Control Board
(PCB) to establish agressive mercury reduction rules for power plants.
More
Under a compromise agreement, legislation was passed into law in May
2006 that requires Minnesota's largest coal-fired power plants to cut
mercury emissions by 90 percent by 2015. Utilities
were brought on board by allowing immediate recovery from ratepayers
the cost of installing the necessary pollution control equipment.
More
In March 2003, environmental organizations including Clean Water
Action, the Connecticut Coalition for Clean Air, and the Clean Air Task
Force along with electric utility PSEG Power Connecticut (owner of the
375-megawatt Bridgeport Harbor coal-fired power plant) issued a joint
recommendation to the Connecticut General Assembly for legislation
establishing stringent new mercury emission standards for the state's
coal-fired power plants. The legislation sets a national precedent for
controlling power plant mercury emissions.
More
In May 2002, New Hampshire became the first state in the country to
adopt rules to regulate carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from power
plants. The new law establishes a multiple pollutant reduction program.
In addition to CO2, the final version of the new law (HB284, NH Laws of
2002, Chapter 130) establishes caps on emissions of sulfur dioxide and
nitrogen oxides by existing fossil fuel electric power plants and also
requires a reduction in mercury pollution. This law permits the banking
and trading of emissions reductions credits to achieve compliance with
the caps. The NH Department of Environmental Services is directed to
establish an integrated strategy to reduce emissions, including the use
of energy efficiency and renewable energy. The new law went into effect
July 1, 2002.
More
On July 10, 2000, the City Council of Ann Arbor, Michigan, approved
a new Ordinance to addChapter 69 Mercury Thermometers (Ordinance No.
31-00) to the city code - effective as of July 26, 2000. The
new ordinance bans the retail sale, importation and manufacture of
mercury fever thermometers within the city limits. Ann Arbor becomes
the first city in Michigan and the second in the Great Lakes basin to
enact such an ordinance. The city of Duluth, Minn. and the City and
county of San Francisco passed similar measures earlier in 2000.
More
On March 6, 2000, the city of Duluth adopted the nation's first-ever
ban on the sale of mercury fever and basal (used by women)
thermometers. The purpose of this ordinance is to help eliminate
mercury from the waste stream. An earlier Minnesota law (M.S. Section 116.92, subd. 7) prohibits medical facilities from routinely distributing mercury thermometers. Another state law (M.S. Section 115A.932) prohibits depositing them in solid waste.
More
Maine has passed a handful of laws in recent years designed to
prevent mercury pollution from a variety of sources including consumer
products such as thermostats, cell phones and vehicles. The efforts in
Maine can be a model for other states. In Maine,
overall mercury emissions to the air have dropped by more than 75% from
their peak in 1991, with reductions by municipal waste incinerators
leading the way.
More
Vermont's mercury labeling law is a nice example of how one state's
action can lead to nationwide changes. Vermont legislation enacted in
1998, required manufacturers to label certain mercury-added products
sold or distributed in Vermont to inform consumers of mercury content
and proper disposal. There was no threshold on the amount of mercury a
product must have in order meet labeling requirements.
More
San Francisco's Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance on May 8, 2000
banning the sale, import and manufacture of mercury thermometers (both
fever and weather) within San Francisco's city and county limits. San
Francisco was the first county in the nation to enact such a ban.
Duluth, Minn. was the first city in the nation to ban the retail sale of mercury fever thermometers.
More
Comments
Post new comment