Mercury

I am committed to reducing mercury emissions and mercury containing products in the environment.

When mercury in the waste stream is incinerated, it evaporates into the air and precipitates onto our land and into waterways.Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that causes developmental and behavioral disorders in children.Pregnant women and children especially need to limit their intake of certain fish due to high levels of mercury. 

I have co-sponsored: 

Comprehensive Mercury Management Bill  (signed into Law – July 28, 2006) link to below

·        will regulate the sale and disposal of products containing mercury, a well-known environmental contaminant and public health threat

·        will phase out mercury in thermometers and light bulbs

·        requires manufacturers to set up collection and recycling programs

·        focuses on the production, disposal, collection, and labeling of products that contain mercury to reduce both landfill and incinerator emissions which enter the air and end up in lakes, rivers and reservoirs

·        mandates the Department of Environmental Protection to create an education program to inform individuals and businesses about mercury-added products and offer instruction on their safe disposal

·        Four other New England states – Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Maine – have enacted similar laws.

http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/seslaw06/sl060190.htm 

Legislation to Eliminate Thimerosol from Vaccines H4703

Thimerosol, a mercury compound is still present in the Flu and Tetanus shots, despite a 1998 directive by the FDA/CDC and NIH. Mercury is a known neurotoxin so why are we injecting it into people, particularly pregnant women and young children? There are mercury free alternatives available and this legislation offers a timeline to move towards removal of thimerosol from all vaccines.

http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/house/ht04pdf/ht04703.pdf 

Safer Alternatives for Toxic Chemicals H-1286

Initially targets ten of the worst toxic chemicals to be replaced with currently available safer alternatives.

http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/house/ht01pdf/ht01286.pdf

An Act to Reduce Asthma by Using Safer Cleaning Products Bill H5018

Aims to reduce asthma triggers from cleaning product emissions used in schools, hospitals and other health care facilities, day care centers, public buildings, and public housing.

http://www.mass.gov/legis/184history/h05018.htm

This entry was posted on Saturday, June 10th, 2006 at 4:13 pm and is filed under Environment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.