What is Mercury?

Mercury, also know as quicksilver, is an element that does not break down. It occurs naturally and is found in very small amounts in oceans, rocks, and soil. It becomes airborne when rocks break down, volcanoes erupt, and the soil decomposes. It then circulates and is redistributed throughout the environment.

Mercury: it's a Dual Threat.

While Mercury is one of the most useful of the heavy metals found in our daily lives, it is also one of the most deadly. When carelessly handled or improperly disposed of, mercury gets into drinking water, lakes, rivers and streams and becomes a clear threat to human health and the environment. Recent studies have linked mercury exposure to increased risk of heart attack in men, to mental retardation and neurological disorders in children, and to dangerous levels of mercury in the blood of women of childbearing age.

Liability of Mercury.

Not only is Mercury a threat to our quality of life when it is not properly recycled, it can also be a significant threat to the overall health of your business. Local and state environmental regulations and EPA enforcement of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), regulate the generation, treatment, storage, handling, clean-up, transportation and disposal of hazardous wastes, including products which contain Mercury.

Products That Contain Mercury

Mercury metal has many uses. Because of its high density, it is used in barometers and manometers. With its high rate of thermal expansion that is fairly constant over a wide temperature range, mercury is used extensively in thermometers and thermostats. Mercury is important as an electrical contact for switches. Mercury conducts the charge in fluorescent lamps. Mercury-vapor lamps, which emit light rich in ultraviolet radiation, are used for street lighting, in water treatment plants as a disinfectant, and in tanning beds. More ...