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 ============================================================ 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. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask]