Mercury Poisoning
1 in 10 women have mercury levels considered dangerous to a fetus
Mercury is a natural metal found in everything from coal to water to the atmosphere. Toxic to humans, it can cause health problems if inhaled or ingested—especially in young and unborn children. So…how does it get into your system?
For years, mercury was a common pesticide ingredient. Though the U.S. banned the use of most mercury-based pesticides 1969, the metal was still acceptable for non-food use, such as golf course maintenance, until 1995. Some countries still use it for these purposes.
Mining and the burning of fossil fuels also release mercury, which is why its presence in precipitation has nearly tripled over the past 200 years. Once in the water, mercury is ingested by fish, accumulating in predators such as swordfish and tuna—popular items on seafood menus.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Get the Seafood Watch App for Your iPhone
Use your iPhone to buy only ocean-friendly seafood.
From the Blog
TakePart Exclusive: Interview with Louie…
"Just saw the movie and great job of bringing to the mainstream conversation and issue I am fairly confident that 99.9% of the planet has never heard of. Everyone keeps touting this as the internet…"
BY THE NUMBERS
3
times as much mercury is in the air as there was 200 years ago http://bit.ly/tp0068
1
in 10 women in the U.S. have mercury levels high enough to be considered dangerous to a fetus http://bit.ly/tp0068
