Replace Your Mercury Thermometers

%3Cp%3EFrom%20Science%20Daily%20--The%20Eighth%20International%20Conference%20on%20Mercury%20as%20a%20Global%20Pollutant%20declared%20that%20reducing%20mercury%20use%20and%20emissions%20would%20lessen%20the%20threat%20it%20poses%20to%20the%20health%20of%20people%2C%20fish%2C%20and%20wildlife.%20%20The%20piece%20discusses%20sources%20of%20mercury%2C%20its%20risks%2C%20recovery%2C%20and%20socioeconomic%20impact.%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0A%3Cblockquote%3E%26ldquo%3B%26nbsp%3BDavid%20Krabbenhoft%2C%20a%20research%20scientist%20at%20the%20U.S.%20Geological%20Survey%20and%20also%20a%20co-chair%20of%20the%20conference%2C%20adds%20that%20the%20document%20declares%20that%20the%20social%20and%20economic%20costs%20of%20mercury%20are%20probably%20higher%20than%20currently%20estimated%2C%20because%20they%20don%27t%20take%20into%20account%20mercury%27s%20impact%20on%20wildlife.%26nbsp%3B%26rdquo%3B%3C%2Fblockquote%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

%3Cp%3EFrom%20Buzzle.com%20--%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0A%26nbsp%3B%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0AMercury%20poisoning%20is%20the%20result%20of%20exposure%20to%20poisonous%20mercury.%20%20It%20is%20destructive%20to%20the%20immune%20system%20and%20can%20cause%20many%20unrelated%20diseases.%20%20Causes%20can%20include%20Amalgam%20dental%20fillings%2C%20eating%20fish%20exposed%20to%20environmental%20mercury%2C%20industrial%20workplaces%2C%20and%20cosmetics.%20%20Symptoms%20include%20psychological%20disturbances%2C%20mouth%20issues%2C%20and%20digestive%20cardiovascular%2C%20respiratory%20and%20neurological%20problems.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

%3Cp%3EFrom%20GreenBiz.com%20--In%20February%20of%202009%2C%20the%20U.S.%20reversed%20its%20policy%20on%20mandatory%20mercury%20emissions%20reductions%20and%20agreed%20to%20treaty%20negotiations%20with%20roughly%20140%20countries.%20%20This%20reversal%20prompted%20China%20and%20India%20to%20agree%20to%20enter%20talks.%20%20Coal-fired%20power%20plants%20are%20the%20largest%20source%20of%20human-caused%20mercury%20emissions%20in%20the%20U.S.%2C%20but%20less%20than%20half%20of%20mercury%20deposits%20in%20the%20U.S.%20originate%20there.%20%20Mercury%20is%20transformed%20into%20methyl%20mercury%20once%20it%20hits%20bodies%20of%20water%20and%20it%20accumulates%20in%20seafood.%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0A%3Cblockquote%3E%26ldquo%3B%26nbsp%3BAn%20interim%20Global%20Mercury%20Partnership%20will%20be%20put%20in%20place%20until%20the%20treaty%20is%20finalized.%20The%20voluntary%20commitment%20will%20include%20provisions%20aimed%20at%20reducing%20mercury%20in%20products%20and%20processes%2C%20such%20as%20thermometers%20and%20papermaking%2C%20as%20well%20as%20help%20countries%20safely%20stockpile%20mercury%20and%20raise%20awareness%20of%20the%20risks%20for%20miners%20and%20their%20families.%26nbsp%3B%26rdquo%3B%3C%2Fblockquote%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

%3Cp%3EFrom%20The%20New%20York%20Times%20--A%20child%20day%20care%20center%20called%20Kiddie%20Kollege%20in%20Franklin%20Township%20New%20Jersey%20used%20to%20be%20the%20home%20of%20a%20former%20mercury%20thermometer%20factory.%20%20The%20State%20Department%20of%20Environmental%20Protection%20describe%20the%20levels%20of%20mercury%20the%20children%20attending%20this%20center%20were%20exposed%20to%20as%20unacceptably%20high.%20%20A%20third%20of%20the%20children%20tested%20have%20shown%20abnormally%20high%20levels%20of%20mercury%20in%20their%20systems%20but%20only%20enough%20to%20warrant%20long-term%20monitoring.%20%20This%20was%20allowed%20to%20happen%20through%20a%20series%20of%20bureaucratic%20failures.%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0A%3Cblockquote%3E%26ldquo%3B%26nbsp%3BBut%20what%20is%20clear%2C%20and%20what%20is%20now%20the%20subject%20of%20an%20investigation%20by%20the%20state%20attorney%20general%2C%20is%20that%20the%20responsibility%20for%20cleaning%20up%20and%20regulating%20the%20building%20slipped%20like%20quicksilver%20through%20the%20fingers%20of%20state%20agencies%2C%20local%20officials%20and%20the%20building%26rsquo%3Bs%20owner%2C%20who%20in%20February%202004%20allowed%20Kiddie%20Kollege%20to%20open.%26nbsp%3B%26rdquo%3B%3C%2Fblockquote%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

%3Cp%3EFrom%20the%20Sierra%20Club%20--%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0A%26nbsp%3B%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0AThis%20is%20a%20brief%20article%20that%20explains%20how%20mercury%20enters%20the%20environment%20from%20power%20plants%20and%20is%20most%20dangerous%20to%20the%20development%20of%20children.%20%20%20Studies%20have%20shown%20that%20there%20is%20affordable%20technology%20available%20which%20could%20reduce%20emissions%20significantly.%20%20EPA%20staff%20charge%20that%20they%20were%20ordered%20to%20abandon%20their%20usual%20scientific%20and%20economic%20studies%20when%20researching%20a%20plan%20for%20mercury%20and%20that%20industry-influences%20led%20to%20lax%20standards.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

%3Cp%3EFrom%20Greenpeace%20--Greenpeace%20accused%20Unilever%20of%20dumping%20several%20tons%20of%20highly%20toxic%20mercury%20waste%20in%20the%20densely%20populated%20tourist%20resort%20of%20Kodaikanal%20and%20the%20surrounding%20protected%20nature%20reserve.%20%20The%20mercury%20wastes%20were%20recklessly%20dumped%20in%20sacks%20by%20Hindustan%20Lever%2C%20a%20company%20that%20manufactures%20mercury%20thermometers%20for%20export.%20%20Greenpeace%26rsquo%3Bs%20Toxic%26rsquo%3Bs%20Campaigner%20in%20India%20feels%20that%20Unilever%20is%20taking%20advantage%20of%20the%20lax%20environmental%20standards%20of%20a%20developing%20country.%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0A%3Cblockquote%3E%26ldquo%3B%26nbsp%3BMercury%20is%20highly%20poisonous%20and%20exposure%20to%20even%20a%20small%20amount%20through%20air%2C%20water%20or%20skin%2C%20exerts%20severe%20effects%20on%20the%20central%20nervous%20system%20%28brain%29%20and%20kidneys.%20Foetuses%20and%20young%20children%20are%20particularly%20at%20risk%20of%20poisoning%20by%20mercury.%26nbsp%3B%26rdquo%3B%3C%2Fblockquote%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

%3Cp%3EFrom%20The%20Sierra%20Club%20--%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0A%26nbsp%3B%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0AThis%20is%20a%20chart%20and%20brief%20explanation%20about%20the%20mercury%20cycle.%20%20It%20shows%20how%20mercury%20enters%20the%20environment%20through%20emissions%20that%20come%20from%20coal-fired%20power%20plants.%20%20The%20emissions%20enter%20the%20atmosphere%20and%20then%20rain%20down%20into%20our%20lakes%2C%20rivers%20and%20streams.%20%20Bacteria%20in%20these%20bodies%20of%20water%20then%20transform%20it%20into%20toxic%20methyl%20mercury.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

%3Cp%3EFrom%20The%20Washington%20Post%20--%26nbsp%3BMercury%20has%20been%20found%20in%20almost%20half%20of%20the%20commerical%20High%20Fructose%20Corn%20Syup%20samples%20tested.%26nbsp%3B%20Considering%20that%20HFCS%20is%20found%20in%20everything%20from%20soda%20to%20condiments%2C%20teenagers%20consume%20around%2080%25%20more%20of%20it%20than%20the%20rest%20of%20the%20population%2C%20and%20that%20mercury%20is%20toxic%20in%20any%20form%2C%20this%20is%20not%20good%20news.%3Cbr%20%2F%3E%0A%3Cblockquote%3E%26ldquo%3B%20%27Mercury%20is%20toxic%20in%20all%20its%20forms.%20Given%20how%20much%20high-fructose%20corn%20syrup%20is%20consumed%20by%20children%2C%20it%20could%20be%20a%20significant%20additional%20source%20of%20mercury%20never%20before%20considered.%20We%20are%20calling%20for%20immediate%20changes%20by%20industry%20and%20the%20%5BU.S.%20Food%20and%20Drug%20Administration%5D%20to%20help%20stop%20this%20avoidable%20mercury%20contamination%20of%20the%20food%20supply%2C%27%20the%20Institute%20for%20Agriculture%20and%20Trade%20Policy%27s%20Dr.%20David%20Wallinga%2C%20a%20co-author%20of%20both%20studies%2C%20said%20in%20a%20prepared%20statement.%26nbsp%3B%26rdquo%3B%3C%2Fblockquote%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A