1 / 22

Mercury-Containing Product Reduction Programs in the Northeast

Mercury-Containing Product Reduction Programs in the Northeast. Terri Goldberg NEWMOA. Outline. Background Overview of Mercury-Added Products Examples of Collection Efforts in the Northeastern U.S. Legislation Recent Studies – TRC & Spills Reports Mercury HUBs. Background.

milica
Download Presentation

Mercury-Containing Product Reduction Programs in the Northeast

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Mercury-Containing Product Reduction Programs in the Northeast Terri Goldberg NEWMOA

  2. Outline • Background • Overview of Mercury-Added Products • Examples of Collection Efforts in the Northeastern U.S. • Legislation • Recent Studies – TRC & Spills Reports • Mercury HUBs

  3. Background • Regional Mercury Action Plan • 1999 Kicked off Legislative Initiative • 2000-2002 Introduced Legislation • Legislation Enacted • Collection Programs • Sector Outreach- Hospitals, Schools, Dental Clinics, Dairies

  4. Mercury-Added Products • Fever & lab thermometers • Blood pressure devices • Barometers, manometers, gauges • Auto switches • Elemental mercury from dental offices & schools • Appliances w/mercury switches • Fluorescent & other lamps • Other switches & relays

  5. Sectors: Examples • K-12 Schools • Dental clinics • Colleges & universities • Hospitals, medical clinics & laboratories • Home owners/communities • Plumbers/electricians • Junkyards/auto crushers & recyclers • MSW incinerators • Federal & other government facilities • Farms

  6. Why Collect? • Virtual elimination goal • Prevent exposure & environmental releases • Public education – products, proper handling/management, & spill cleanup • Prevent costly cleanups

  7. Collection Programs in the NE US: CT Example • CT DEP 2001 Campaign • Focused on communities/home owners, schools & dental clinics • Goal: 2001 pounds collected in year 2001 • Results: 412 pounds of mercury from dentists >70,000 thermometers exchanged (60 lbs) >1,218 pounds of mercury from HHW >380 pounds of mercury from schools

  8. Collection Programs in the NE US: VT Example • K-12 Clean-out Campaign • Targeted all middle & high schools • Collect all excess hazardous & non-hazardous materials, including mercury • Results: 83 schools (>50% of school pop.) 17,000 lbs. of hazardous materials Includes 156 lbs. of mercury

  9. Collection Programs in the NE US: MA Example • Targeted high schools & voc-tech • Coordinating with the Dept. of Education • Collecting mercury & other hazardous materials • Results: In 2001: 32 high schools; ~14 lbs./school 2002: ~60 additional high schools Combined: 26% of MA high schools Approx. 1200 lbs. of mercury collected Mystery of 75 pound flasks– source?

  10. Collection Programs in the NE US: VT Example • Mercury fever thermometer collection from households • Conducted through pharmacies throughout the state • Pharmacies to stop sale in future • Results: ~15% of households participated 111 pharmacies out of 119 participated 45,000 thermometers collected 95 pounds of mercury

  11. Collection Programs in the NE US: MA Example • Thermometers, Dentists, & Communities • Conducted through pharmacies & communities • Results: ~85,000 thermometers collected ~100,000 expected by end of year 360 participating pharmacies MSWCs collected 1400 lbs. in 2001 1600 lbs. collected from dentists in 2001

  12. Other Examples in the NE US • Dental agreements in MA, NH, VT, ME • Dental collection in MA • Dairy manometer collections in VT & NY • MSW incinerators plans & collections in MA • Auto switches in NY & other states • Federal facilities & other government agencies case studies

  13. Challenges & Opportunities • Identifying sources • Encouraging cooperation • Ensuring that lasting system is in place to prevent reintroduction of mercury • Education on proper use, management & cleanup of mercury • Recycling/disposal options

  14. Mercury-Added Product Legislation Provisions Enacted Notification: CT, ME, NH, RI Interstate Clearinghouse: CT, ME, NH, RI Product Bans: CT, ME, NH, RI Phase-Out & Exemptions: CT, RI Labeling: CT, ME, RI, VT Disposal Ban: CT, ME, RI Collection Plan: CT, RI

  15. Mercury-Added Product Legislation Provisions Enacted Hospital Disclosure: ME, RI Elemental Mercury Control: CT, ME, NH, RI Public Education & Outreach: CT, ME, NH, RI Universal Waste: RI State Procurement: RI

  16. Implementation of the Legislation • Labeling – VT lead, NEMA Lawsuit, >150 companies complying, reviewing alternative labeling plans & coordinating with other states • Notification – NH initiated, IMERC coordination; ~200 notified to date • Elemental Mercury Control -- NH initiated • Product Bans – New focus

  17. Recent Studies • Evaluation of Thermostat Recycling Corporation Activities in the Northeast • Conducted phone survey • Analyzed results • Evaluated participation rates • Estimated collection rates

  18. TRC Study Findings • Thermostat collection valuable & important • TRC needs to do continuous outreach to wholesalers • Wholesaler participation rate in the region is low: 0-39%, varies by state • Collection rate in the region is also low: ~1-5% • Success of the program depends on state/local government efforts

  19. Mercury Spill Report • Mercury Spills Reported in the NE; 1999-2000 • Collected data from the states –environmental agencies & poison control centers – on reports of mercury spills • >320 spills reported/year to environmental agencies • >1,100 spills reported/year to 6 poison control centers

  20. Mercury HUBS • Web-based: www.newmoa.org/prevention/mercury • Mercury Overview • Dental • Thermostats • Thermometers • Schools • Auto – later this year • Appliances – later this year

  21. For More Information Terri Goldberg NEWMOA (617) 367-8558 x302 tgoldberg@newmoa.org

More Related