From Wildlines, 6/7/04. (The newsletter of the State Environmental Resource
Center (SERC) www.serconline.org)

Legislation like this is needed in Iowa. Better, make it legislation at the
national level.

Tom Mathews
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HEADLINER: Illinois Legislature Passes Mercury Bill (NCEL 6/1)
http://www.ncel.net

On May 25, both houses of the Illinois legislature passed the Mercury
Reduction Act, SB 2551. The bill creates the Mercury-Containing Products Act and is
intended to help protect the state's citizens from dangerous mercury
contamination. Effective July 1, 2005, the legislation will bar schools from purchasing
elemental (metallic) mercury, chemical mercury compounds, and mercury-added
measuring devises for use in classrooms. Beginning July 1, 2007, the bill will
prohibit the sale of most mercury thermostats, switches, and relays, common in
standard consumer products, although the ban will not apply to the sale of
replacement switches or relays for existing equipment. Manufacturers of such
items could petition the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency for exemption
from the sales prohibition, if they provide convincing evidence of an effective
recycling program for their products. In addition, the legislation will
require the Illinois Pollution Control Board to alter universal waste rules, aiming
to facilitate the collection and recycling of dangerous mercury-containing
products. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency will be asked to submit a
report by January 2005 outlining recommendations for reducing and recycling
mercury-containing thermostats and mercury-containing vehicle components. At
high levels, metallic mercury can cause serious damage to the nervous system and
is particularly harmful to pregnant women and young children. Other forms of
mercury can damage other organs, particularly the kidneys and gastrointestinal
tract. Even at low levels, metallic mercury can cause health problems such as
tremors, changes in vision or hearing, insomnia, weakness, memory loss,
headache, irritability, shyness and nervousness, and a health condition called
acrodynia. For more information on the dangers of mercury and how states are
addressing those dangers, visit: http://www.serconline.org/mercury/pkg_frameset.html.

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