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Mercury Projects in Region 2

National Information

EPA Region 2 is working on a variety of projects with a number of different partners to help reduce the release of mercury into the environment.

EPA - State Projects

Mercury Emission Reduction Activities
To encourage mercury emissions reduction, the Region is assisting states in developing state rules to reduce emissions of mercury from electric power stations, iron, steel and other secondary smelting industries and to promote energy efficiency.

Identification of Mercury Emitting Facilities
The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Program is working with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Mercury Task Force Exit EPA disclaimer to identify possible sources of mercury that are affected by new Persistent Bioaccumulative and Toxic (PBT) reporting requirements.

Dental Office Mercury Reductions
Region 2 is working with the states of New York and New Jersey to develop rules and regulations that will require dental offices to use chair-side traps and vacuum pump filters to reduce the amount of amalgams that end up in the wastewater. Material captured in the traps and filters could then be disposed of properly.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) Mercury Management Program - ongoing program to reduce mercury in the envionment, which includes these efforts: Exit EPA disclaimer

NJDEP Mercury Switch Data Collection Pilot
Region 2 funded this pilot to facilitate the development of a cost-effective program to collect mercury-containing switches from end-of-life vehicles (EOLV), for maximizing the amount of mercury that can be removed prior to their delivery to a scrap recycling facility for processing. With the data obtained under this Pilot NJDEP developed a rule proposal that requires vehicle recyclers and vehicle processors to remove mercury containing convenience lighting switches and anti-lock braking switches from end-of-life vehicles prior to crushing or flattening of the vehicle. Removed switches must be handled properly.

NYSDEC - Mercury-Free Schools Program in New York State
Region 2 has awarded a grant to NYSDEC so that the provides support to NYSDEC Mercury Free Schools Program. This effort will promote the elimination of mercury in schools throughout New York State. Northeast Waste Management Officials' Association (NEWMOA) will hold several workshops to educate NYSDEC staff on the methods, pros and cons, that their organization has learned over the past 4 years in working with schools in Massachusetts in a similar effort. NEWMOA has worked with 103 Massachusetts schools (53 high, 24 middle and 26 elementary schools) to identify, collect and recycle elemental mercury and mercury-containing products and has removed over 850 pounds of mercury from Massachusetts schools, generally removing an average of 9-14 pounds per high school. Through this work NEWMOA has educated hundreds of teachers, schools administrators, nurses and students about the health and environmental hazards of mercury and the importance of preventing future use of mercury in schools.

EPA-Northeast Waste Management Officials' Association (NEWMOA) Projects

Through NEWMOA, the Region has held meetings of the Interstate Mercury Education and Reduction Clearinghouse (IMERC) Exit EPA disclaimer and has facilitated the IMERC Mercury Product Notification and Alternative Labeling Application Review Process. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection in cooperation with NEWMOA will conduct outreach and education activities to remove and phase out sales of mercury containing products for which they are reasonable available alternatives.

There is a three-year mercury reduction project that aims to double the recycling rate of lamps by educating people about the need to recycle and the options available for recycling. In FY 2004, NEWMOA held conferences with the Lamp Recycling Outreach Workgroup, developed outreach tools to be used by the states, and began work on a few pilot projects to target specific audiences or test specific approaches in order to determine the most effective approach for increasing lamp recycling. One such project includes convening sub-regional meetings with lamp wholesalers, recyclers and the states to explore options for increasing lamp recycling.

Region 2 has awarded a grant to NEWMOA to develop outreach materials on best management plans and options for the management of dental mercury.

Other Mercury Related Projects / Activities

Ritual Use of Mercury Program
A public education campaign being created for Haitian-and Caribbean-American communities, particularly those that use mercury during the practice of spiritist faiths such as Santeria. It is being developed as a collaborative effort between EPA, state departments of health, and Hispanic services organizations. We are also working with the immigration agents in U.S. Department of Homeland Security by providing them with information on the effects of mercury so that they can pass it on to immigrants that are trying to bring mercury to the U.S. for ritualistic use.
R2 Contact: Mark Maddaloni

Reduction of Mercury in the Healthcare Sector
Region 2 has been implementing an Integrated Strategy for the Healthcare Sector to ensure that facilities are complying with their environmental obligations. This strategy consists of compliance assistance (seminars, presentations and meetings, development and distribution of compliance assistance tools,), compliance incentives (especially the use of audit agreements in which healthcare facilities voluntarily conduct a self-audit and disclose all violations to EPA), compliance monitoring and enforcement. A key component of these activities is mercury reduction and we have strongly encouraged healthcare facilities to join Hospitals for Healthy Environment (H2E). Exit EPA disclaimer

R2 Contact: Linda Longo

Mercury Reduction in Utilities
Region 2 has worked with utility companies (especially Consolidated Edison) to eliminate the use of mercury in gas regulators. Based on this partnership, ConEd successfully retrofitted 32,000 gas meters in R2 to eliminate mercury resulting in the collection and removal over 2100 pounds of mercury. Region 2 also supported revising regulation in NYC to eliminate the requirement for plumbers to use a mercury manometer to test gas pressure and supported ConEd’s outreach effort to educate plumbers on the use of non-mercury pressure gauges. ConEd conducted a mercury pressure gauge exchange program and collected over 73 pounds of mercury.
R2 Contact: Richard Yue

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