past (historic) uses and current uses. A good bit of information can
be found on the
<http://www.ecy.wa.gov/mercury/mercury_containing_products.html>
of the Washington State Department of Ecology.
These uses include thermometers, barometers, control devices such as
thermostats (Honeywell was a very big user of mercury in these),
paint, various medications, switches, batteries, lamps such as
fluorescent and mercury vapor, fungicides, and what the EPA calls
"<http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=12&ved=0CIEBEBYwCw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.epa.gov%2Fsuperfund%2Fcommunity%2Fpdfs%2Fmercury.pdf&ei=AZZ2UdyyJcmDqQGus4HYBw&usg=AFQjCNFia_zPtDehntS4yatvHomQhE9G0g&sig2=6CrHMbmCSzSxzyDZoQz2lQ&bvm=bv.45512109,d.aWM&cad=rja>ritualistic
uses." So it is not realistic to eliminate all mercury from our garbage.
As far as "science education" on mercury, it may be emitted from
smokestacks as the elemental stuff, "mercury vapor," or as mercury
compounds such as oxides. Some mercury compounds, such as "methyl"
mercury, are more harmful than others. Quite a bit of mercury comes
out of coal burning power plant smokestacks and incinerators.
Use and emission of mercury is, fortunately, decreasing, but people
continue to be harmed by it. Especially, kids continue to be dumbed
down by the neurotoxic effects of mercury. Mercury is a "no safe
level" substance. So it is important to reduce all sources as much
as possible and not burning garbage is a no-brainer step in the right
direction.
In terms of state action Minnesota has a very mixed record on
mercury. There is a state mercury reduction plan with goals, though
it does not seem to be enforced very well when big power or mining
interests are involved. the MPCA recently disgraced itself by
withdrawing from a mercury study. While in-state mercury emissions
are dropping, much of the mercury appearing in Minnesota lakes, and
Minnesota fish, comes from out of state. By approving transmission
lines that encourage more coal burning upwind in the Dakotas, the
Minnesota Public Utilities Commission has done much to offset the
effects of in-state mercury reductions and keep us unhealthy.
It would be nice to see employees of the Minnesota Pollution Control
Agency posting on this list about the need for better pollution
control, rather than making excuses for unhealthy and polluting
activities which the agency funds and promotes.
We need more Ed Feliens, and a different sort of management at the
MPCA. A good Earth Day topic.....
Alan Muller
At 08:56 AM 4/23/2013 -0500, <email obscured> wrote:
>The lack of science education we have in this country is probably one of
>the biggest impediments we have on making environmental progress, so here
>is a quick chemistry lesson:
>
>Mercury is a metal. It cannot be created or destroyed by reactions such as
>combustion in an incinerator like HERC. It's not used in wood coatings or
>plastics and the only medical use of mercury that I'm aware of as a
>preservative in vaccines, which I doubt is showing up in household garbage.
>
>The mercury that is emitted from HERC is released when products containing
>mercury get burned. The most common mercury-containing products out there
>are CFLs, button batteries, older thermostats and thermometers and possibly
>some other electronics.
>
>Some of the other chemicals of concern from HERC, such as dioxins, can be
>created via combustion reactions. Mercury is not one of them. If you want
>to keep HERC from emitting mercury, dispose of your mercury-containing
>products properly and legally and avoid purchasing any more of them.
>
>Mark Snyder
>Windom Park
>
>On Apr 22 2013, Andrea Schaerf wrote:
>
> >considering all the coating on wood, the plastic,medications and other
> >waste that is burned, it isnt so simple as to blame CFLs or batteries. Some
> >of what is burned we probably dont even know what it gives off.
> >
> >
> >On Mon, Apr 22, 2013 at 10:18 AM, <<email obscured>> wrote:
> >
> >> Just a reminder - unlike coal, where mercury emissions are unavoidable,
> >> HERC emissions mercury are strictly due to people illegally throwing
> >> mercury-containing items such as CFLs and electronics in their garbage.
> >>
> If people would stop doing that and take these sorts of items to
>household
> >> hazardous waste collections or facilities like we are supposed to, HERC
> >> will have no mercury emissions either.
> >>
> >> Mark Snyder
> >> Windom Park
>
>
>Mark Snyder
>Windom Park, Minneapolis
>About/contact Mark Snyder: http://forums.e-democracy.org/p/marksnyder
>
>View full topic or share:
> http://forums.e-democracy.org/r/topic/6ejuP89PQVZp38eqahAbAb
>
>* We're Hiring in St. Paul - Let's BeNeighbors.org
> http://blog.e-democracy.org/posts/1870
>
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