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Toxic-Free Legacy: Mercury
Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that can affect the brain, spinal cord, kidneys, and liver, and up to one in 10 women in the United States already carry enough mercury in their blood to pose a threat of neurological damage to the fetus.
The Issue
Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that can affect the brain, spinal cord, kidneys, and liver. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up to one in 10 women in the United States already carry enough mercury in their blood to pose a threat of neurological damage to the fetus. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 630,000 children every year are exposed to mercury in the womb putting them at risk for brain problems.
Mercury pollution comes from coal-fired power plants, incinerators, cement kilns, and products such as mercury thermometers, thermostats, and fluorescent light bulbs. Due to the use of mercury amalgam, dental offices are the largest dischargers of mercury to waterways.
One of the most common ways people are exposed to mercury is through eating fish. Fish consumption advisories for mercury are increasing faster than for any other pollutant.
Many local and state governments are taking action against products that contain mercury. In 2003, Washington state joined numerous other states to reduce mercury pollution by banning certain consumer products and reducing mercury in hospitals and schools.
Resources
- Washington State Mercury Chemical Action Plan
- Washington State Mercury Education Reduction Act (MERA)
- Language of King County's Mercury Thermometer Ban (188kb PDF file)
- Washington Toxics Coalition's Fact Sheet on Mercury (532kb PDF file - Revised August 2006)
- Health Care Without Harm is a national organization campaigning for environmentally friendly health care.
- Other WTC fact sheets on mercury topics
