Just to let folks know.
Wisconsin's Natural Resources Board unanimously adopted
regulations to reduce mercury emission into the air by 90% over the next 15
years. A longer timeline than wanted by anglers, conservationists and
others but still a great victory for Great Lakes pollution. These
regs will directly affect Michigan since these air toxins released from
Wisconsin plants travel downwind to Michigan.
Dave Zaber
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, July 01, 2001 9:43
PM
Subject: E-M:/ "FIRST IN THE NATION"
MERCURY LAW passed in Rhode Island
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Enviro-Mich
message from "Anne Woiwode" <anne.woiwode@sierraclub.org>
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With
growing interest in local units in Michigan passing mercury
control
ordinances, this looks like an exciting prospect --
AW
For Immediate Release
Contact: Sheila Dormody, Clean
Water Action (401) 331-6972
Michael Bender, Mercury Policy Project (802)
223-9000
Rhode Island Passes First-in-the-Nation
Legislation to
Prevent Mercury Pollution
Providence, RI-In a precedent-setting
national first, the Rhode Island
General Assembly passed legislation on
June 29, 2001 for eliminating mercury
pollution, phasing out mercury
products, requiring manufacturer "take back"
programs, and reducing human
exposure to mercury.
The bills, H-6161 and S-661 sponsored by
Representative Peter Ginaitt and
Senator John Tassoni, passed unanimously
and featured several components
that
have not passed in any other
state, including:
· Phasing out the sale of products containing
mercury (e.g. thermostats,
sphygmomanometers, manometers) sold in Rhode
Island over the next six years.
· Requiring manufacturers to "take back"
product discards containing mercury
sold in Rhode Island by holding them
responsible to establish effective
collection programs.
· Requiring
state dental insurance contracts to include coverage for
non-mercury
fillings at no extra expense to the state employee.
"We strongly
encourage Governor Almond to sign these landmark mercury bills
into law
immediately," said Sheila Dormody, Rhode Island director of Clean
Water
Action, one of the environmental groups leading the campaign
to
support
the legislation. "Rhode Island has the opportunity to set
the standard
nationally with these efforts to protect the public, and
future generations,
from this dangerous toxin."
Mercury is a
dangerous toxin that is released into the environment through
coal
burning, use and disposal of products containing mercury and
threatens
the environment, wildlife and human health. Eating fish
contaminated with
mercury can cause damage to the nervous system.
Growing babies are
especially vulnerable--therefore pregnant women should
not eat
mercury-contaminated fish. Data from a recent Center for
Disease Control
study found that at least one in ten women of
childbearing contain mercury
in
their bodies at levels not considered
protective. According to the National
Academy of Sciences, prenatal
mercury exposure can later hurt children's
ability to remember, pay
attention, talk, draw, run and play. Scientists
estimate that if
all man made mercury pollution would stop today, it would
take 15 years
or more before mercury levels in fish were at safe levels.
"By
holding producers responsible for the often costly collection
of
hazardous mercury products, they'll now have an added incentive to not
use
toxics materials," said Michael Bender of the Mercury
Policy Project.
"Cities, counties and states across the U.S. will now
view Rhode Island as
the national model for reducing mercury pollution by
shifting the burden of
responsibility to the manufacturer."
Before
passing this legislation, Rhode Island received a D-the lowest grade
in
the region-on a report card released yesterday by the Zero
Mercury
Campaign.* The report graded progress made by each New England
state toward
the goals of eliminating mercury emissions by 2010 and
protecting the public
from mercury contaminated fish. (The report is
available at
www.mercurypolicy.org.) When
Governor Almond signs the legislation, Rhode
Island's grade will improve
to a C+.
*The New England Zero Mercury Campaign consists of
environmental and public
health organizations from across New England. In
Rhode Island, Clean Water
Action and the Sierra Club Rhode Island Chapter
have joined the campaign to
call for zero mercury use, release and
exposure by 2010 and graded the Rhode
Island efforts to achieve this
goal.
###
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