Mercury

WHY MERCURY?

Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that is especially harmful to young children and fetuses. Even low levels of mercury exposure can cause learning disabilities, lowered IQ, impaired vision, delays in memory, and cardiovascular and reproductive problems. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up to one in 10 women in the U.S. already carry enough mercury in their blood to pose a threat of neurological damage to the fetus.

WHAT CAN WE DO?

The Michigan Network for Children's Environmental Health is targeting products containing the neurotoxic chemical mercury, including barometers, hydrometers, manometers, and relays, and align state purchasing with a mercury-free goal. The network helped pass legislation in 2006 to phase out the sale of mercury thermostats (PA 492), blood pressure devices (PA 493), and additional medical devices (PA 494). Thermostats make up one of the largest remaining reservoirs of mercury in consumer products today. There are more than 5 million mercury thermostats in Michigan, containing a total of 35,000 pounds of mercury. Some of this mercury leaches out of landfills or can be emitted by incinerators, contaminating our air and water and ultimately our fish. Each mercury blood pressure device, or sphygmomanometer, contains between 80-100 grams of mercury. Spills and leakages from these devices are common, dangerous, and costly. The Mayo Clinic documented 50 spills from blood pressure devices in a two-year period at its facilities alone, costing an estimated $26,000. Most Michigan hospitals have already committed to using alternatives.

The Michigan Network for Children's Environmental Health is targeting products containing the neurotoxic chemical mercury, including barometers, hydrometers, manometers, and relays, and align state purchasing with a mercury-free goal.

WHAT CAN YOU DO IN YOUR COMMUNITY OR YOUR HOME TO REDUCE MERCURY USE?

Communities all over the country are holding mercury fever thermometer exchanges in an attempt to eliminate this dangerous potential source of pollution from their local environment. To learn about how to hold a thermometer roundup in your area, see How to Plan and Hold a Mercury Fever Thermometer Exchange.

To view an informational booklet designed for parents, healthcare providers or educators that teaches how to eliminate mercury from your home and how to clean up and dispose of mercury spills properly, see Mercury Thermometers and Your Family's Health.

Dispose of the items safely at a disposal site. Visit Michigan Hazardous Material Disposal to find a site in your area.

Follow these EPA guidelines to properly clean up after a mercury spill.