Mercury Collection Programs Mercury Collection Programs from Schools, Dental Offices & from Schools, Dental Offices &

HouseholdsHouseholds

Terri GoldbergTerri Goldberg

NEWMOANEWMOA

OutlineOutline

Overview of Mercury-Added Products Overview of Mercury-Added Products

Why Collect Mercury-Added Products?Why Collect Mercury-Added Products?

Examples of Collection Efforts in the Examples of Collection Efforts in the Northeastern U.S.Northeastern U.S.

Challenges & OpportunitiesChallenges & Opportunities

IMERCIMERC

Mercury-Added ProductsMercury-Added Products

Fever & lab thermometersFever & lab thermometersBlood pressure devicesBlood pressure devicesBarometers, manometers, gaugesBarometers, manometers, gaugesAuto switchesAuto switchesElemental mercury from dental offices & Elemental mercury from dental offices & schoolsschoolsAppliances w/mercury switchesAppliances w/mercury switchesFluorescent & other lampsFluorescent & other lamps

Sectors: ExamplesSectors: Examples

K-12 SchoolsK-12 SchoolsDental clinics Dental clinics Colleges & universitiesColleges & universitiesHospitals, medical clinics & laboratoriesHospitals, medical clinics & laboratoriesHome owners/communitiesHome owners/communitiesPlumbers/electriciansPlumbers/electriciansJunkyards/auto crushers & recyclersJunkyards/auto crushers & recyclersMSW incineratorsMSW incineratorsFederal & other government facilitiesFederal & other government facilitiesFarmsFarms

Why Collect?Why Collect?

Virtual elimination goalVirtual elimination goal

Prevent exposure & environmental Prevent exposure & environmental releasesreleases

Public education – products, proper Public education – products, proper handling/management, & spill cleanuphandling/management, & spill cleanup

Prevent costly cleanupsPrevent costly cleanups

Collection Programs in the NE US:Collection Programs in the NE US: CT Example CT Example

CT DEP 2001 CampaignCT DEP 2001 CampaignFocused on communities/home owners, schools Focused on communities/home owners, schools & dental clinics& dental clinicsGoal: 2001 pounds collected in year 2001Goal: 2001 pounds collected in year 2001Results:Results:

412 pounds of mercury from dentists412 pounds of mercury from dentists>70,000 thermometers exchanged (60 >70,000 thermometers exchanged (60

lbs)lbs)>1,218 pounds of mercury from HHW>1,218 pounds of mercury from HHW>380 pounds of mercury from schools>380 pounds of mercury from schools

Collection Programs in the NE US: Collection Programs in the NE US:

VT ExampleVT ExampleK-12 Clean-out CampaignK-12 Clean-out Campaign

Targeted all middle & high schools Targeted all middle & high schools

Collect all excess hazardous & non-Collect all excess hazardous & non-hazardous materials, incl. mercuryhazardous materials, incl. mercury

Results:Results:

83 schools (>50% of school pop.)83 schools (>50% of school pop.)

17,000 lbs. of hazardous materials 17,000 lbs. of hazardous materials Includes 156 lbs. Includes 156 lbs. of mercuryof mercury

Collection Programs in the NE US: Collection Programs in the NE US: MA ExampleMA Example

Targeted high schools & voc-techTargeted high schools & voc-techCoordinating with the Dept. of Education Coordinating with the Dept. of Education Collecting mercury & other haz. materialsCollecting mercury & other haz. materialsResults:Results:

In 2001: 32 high schools; ~14 In 2001: 32 high schools; ~14 lbs./schoollbs./school

2002: ~60 additional high schools 2002: ~60 additional high schools Combined: 26% of MA high schoolsCombined: 26% of MA high schools Approx. 1200 lbs. of mercury collectedApprox. 1200 lbs. of mercury collected Mystery of 75 pound flasks– source? Mystery of 75 pound flasks– source?

Collection Programs in the NE US: Collection Programs in the NE US: VT ExampleVT Example

Mercury fever thermometer collection from Mercury fever thermometer collection from householdshouseholdsConducted through pharmacies throughout the Conducted through pharmacies throughout the statestatePharmacies to stop sale in future Pharmacies to stop sale in future Results:Results:

~15% of households participated~15% of households participated111 pharmacies out of 119 participated111 pharmacies out of 119 participated

45,000 thermometers collected45,000 thermometers collected95 pounds of mercury 95 pounds of mercury

Collection Programs in the NE US: Collection Programs in the NE US: MA ExampleMA Example

Thermometers, Dentists, & CommunitiesThermometers, Dentists, & CommunitiesConducted through pharmacies & communitiesConducted through pharmacies & communitiesResults:Results:

~85,000 thermometers collected~85,000 thermometers collected~100,000 expected by end of year~100,000 expected by end of year360 participating pharmacies360 participating pharmaciesMSWCs collected 1400 lbs. in 2001MSWCs collected 1400 lbs. in 20011600 lbs. collected from dentists in 20011600 lbs. collected from dentists in 2001

Other Examples in the NE USOther Examples in the NE US

Dental agreements in MA, NH, VT, MEDental agreements in MA, NH, VT, ME

Dental collection in MADental collection in MA

Dairy manometer collections in VT & NYDairy manometer collections in VT & NY

MSW incinerators plans & collections in MSW incinerators plans & collections in MAMA

Auto switches in NY & other statesAuto switches in NY & other states

Federal facilities & other government Federal facilities & other government agencies case studiesagencies case studies

Challenges & OpportunitiesChallenges & Opportunities

Identifying sources Identifying sources

Encouraging cooperationEncouraging cooperation

Ensuring that lasting system is in place to Ensuring that lasting system is in place to prevent reintroduction of mercuryprevent reintroduction of mercury

Education on proper use, management & Education on proper use, management & cleanup of mercury cleanup of mercury

Recycling/disposal optionsRecycling/disposal options

IMERCIMERC

NH, ME, & RI require manufacturers & NH, ME, & RI require manufacturers & distributors of mercury-added products to distributors of mercury-added products to submit data on the mercury content of the submit data on the mercury content of the productsproducts

IMERC established to assist states IMERC established to assist states implement notification requirementsimplement notification requirements

Facilitating review of mercury-added Facilitating review of mercury-added product data product data

IMERC IMERC (continued)(continued)

Creating a repository of the dataCreating a repository of the data

Creating an online database of the Creating an online database of the informationinformation

Plan to post online summer 2002Plan to post online summer 2002

www.newmoa.org/prevention/mercury/imercwww.newmoa.org/prevention/mercury/imerc

617-367-8558 x302617-367-8558 x302