The Department of Environmental Protection this week announced that its six regional offices collected 1,451 pounds of mercury in 2005 through a variety of collection strategies aimed at reducing the dangers posed by the neurotoxin to people and wildlife.

Since 1997, DEP’s six regional offices have collected almost 17,000 pounds of elemental mercury from schools and homes.

Interestingly, this is more mercury than is emitted by Pennsylvania’s coal-fired power plants in one year and the mercury collected in 2005 is more mercury than those same power plants will emit annually by 2018 when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s mercury emissions reduction rule is fully implemented.

Liquid elemental mercury is most commonly found in homes in thermometers, thermostats and barometers. At schools, elemental mercury may be found in containers in laboratories and thermometers and blood-pressure gauges in nurses’ offices.

Mercury is not dangerous when sealed inside these devices and containers; however, exposure can result if the devices and containers are broken or improperly disposed of. By reducing the amount of elemental mercury in the public’s hands, the chances of human exposure to mercury vapors, or of spills to the environment, are lowered.

DEP collections ensure that the mercury is recycled by a reputable company, rather than disposed of in a municipal waste landfill. Mercury can be particularly harmful when products containing mercury are spilled, discarded in drains or incinerated as waste.

Once mercury is released into the air it will fall back to the ground in rain and snow, contaminating soils and water bodies. Bacteria in aquatic ecosystems can convert mercury to organic methylmercury --- a potent neurotoxin --- that builds up in organisms and becomes more concentrated as it travels up the food chain, where it can accumulate in the tissues of fish and shellfish.

Consumption of contaminated fish is a significant health concern leading to fish consumption advisories in most states, including Pennsylvania.

For more information, visit DEP’s Mercury webpage.

1/27/2006