Mercury Containing Products and Alternatives
Due to its toxic and bioaccumulative properties, there has been a growing
effort to eliminate non-essential uses of mercury. While some manufacturers
have taken steps to reduce or eliminate the use of mercury in their products,
a large number of items that contain mercury are still available in the
marketplace. Some of these products include fluorescent lamps (including
compact fluorescent lamps), appliances, button cell batteries, chemical
compounds, computers, heating and cooling equipment, thermometers, manometers,
pumps, transducers, and valves.
Mercury-free alternatives are available
for many mercury-containing products. These alternatives, which include
digital and electronic devices, are cost effective and work just as well
as mercury-containing items.
- The Maine Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP) commissioned the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production
(LCSP) at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell to study alternatives
to mercury-containing products. The LCSP also investigated mercury
button cell batteries for the Maine DEP.
- The Wisconsin
Mercury Source Book is another comprehensive source on mercury-containing products
and their alternatives.
- The Interstate
Mercury Education and Reduction Clearinghouse maintains a database of mercury-containing consumer products
sold in several states. This includes information on both the amount
and purpose of the mercury in the product.
- The U. S. Environmental
Protection Agency maintains a database
of mercury containing products and alternatives.
- Health Care Without Harm is an international
coalition of hospitals and health care systems, medical professionals,
community groups, health-affected constituencies, labor unions, environmental
and environmental health organizations and religious groups working
to implement ecologically sound and healthy alternatives to health
care practices that pollute the environment and contribute to disease.
- The
Illinois EPA has prepared a
fact
sheet that outlines alternatives to
mercury-containing products that may be used in K-12 schools.
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