[Sqg-program] EPA Mercury Database and Assessment Highlights Mercury-Free Alternatives

[Perrigan, Glen]

EPA Assessment Highlights Mercury-Free Alternatives

November 18, 2008 

There are alternatives to mercury, according to a preliminary assessment of
the uses of elemental mercury in a number of products. The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency has concluded that switches, relays, button cell batteries,
non-fever thermometers, and measuring devices, such as thermostats, don't
have to contain mercury. 

Under the Chemical Assessment and Management Program, EPA evaluated the use
of elemental mercury in certain products and the availability of effective,
economical mercury-free alternatives. The assessment determined that the use
of mercury in certain products poses a "high-priority, special concern." The
agency plans to take prompt regulatory and voluntary action to encourage the
use of mercury-free alternatives and reduce the use of mercury in products. 

EPA has also developed a searchable database that pulls together publicly
available information from various sources to help identify consumer and
commercial products that contain mercury and their possible non-mercury
alternatives. EPA encourages people to use non-mercury alternatives whenever
possible as an important way to prevent exposure to mercury, including
exposure due to breakage. 

For more information on the mercury assessment, visit
http://www.epa.gov/chemrtk/hpvis/index.html.

 

For more information on the database, go to
http://www.epa.gov/mercury/database.htm.



The Department of Environmental 

Protection values your feedback as a customer. DEP Secretary Michael W. Sole is committed to continuously assessing and 

improving the level and quality of services provided to you. Please take a few minutes to comment on the quality of 

service you received. Copy the url below to a web browser to complete the DEP 

survey: http://survey.dep.state.fl.us/?refemail=Glen.Perrigan@dep.state.fl.us Thank you in advance for completing the survey.
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