SENATOR SUSAN COLLINS RENEWS HER CALL FOR NATIONWIDE BAN ON SALE OF MERCURY FEVER THERMOMETERS

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Susan Collins today introduced The Mercury Reduction Act, legislation that addresses the serious problem of mercury in the environment and mercury disposal. While the bill takes special aim at one of the most common and widely distributed sources of mercury — mercury fever thermometers — it also contains a provision that would allow the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to purchase and safely manage surplus mercury. It also authorizes $1 million per year for this purpose. The legislation would solve some of the nation's worst long-term mercury retirement problems, including the problem at the Holtrachem plant in Orrington.

"My bill would create a national mercury retirement policy. Currently, the United States has no policy to deal with surplus mercury. As a result of this gap, the United States has shipped tons of mercury to India, only to have India ship it right back. Because there is no federal policy to retire surplus mercury, the Natural Resource Council of Maine has arranged for the storage, on a temporary basis, of 80 tons of the Holtrachem mercury. My bill would find a permanent home for this mercury," said Senator Collins.

Senator Collins's bill also calls for a nationwide ban on the sale of mercury thermometers and provides for a grant program to help consumers exchange mercury thermometers for digital or other alternatives. "By bringing in mercury thermometers for proper disposal, consumers will ensure the mercury from their thermometers doesn't end up polluting our lakes and threatening our health. It will also reduce the risk of breakage and contamination inside the home," the Senator said.

Another important component of the bill is the safe disposal of the mercury collected from thermometers in the exchange program. The bill directs the EPA to ensure that the mercury is properly collected and stored to keep it out of the environment and out of commerce. "This mercury will not reenter the environment."

The bill creates an interagency task force to address the problem of the global circulation of mercury and ways to reduce the mercury threat to humans and the environment. The task force, to be chaired by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, would also be charged with identifying long-term means of disposing of mercury and comprehensive solutions to the global mercury problem. According to a draft EPA report released just a few weeks ago, approximately 5 million American women of childbearing age have mercury levels in their bloodstream above safe levels. The legislation aims to reduce this dangerous public health threat. The Collins legislation, which was approved by the Senate last year, enjoys tripartisan support from Senators including, Jeffords, Chafee, Kerry, Hutchison, Reed, Lieberman, Voinovich, Dorgan, and Leahy.

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