Mercury is a toxic metal that can cause immune, sensory, neurological, motor, and behavioral dysfunctions.
There are over 150 symptomatic conditions that can be manifested in human health, with a direct causal relationship to mercury exposure.
Regulation
The three main actors in regulating hazardous materials are the EPA, FDA and OHSA
Their regulations and safety standards for mercury exposure appear to be very stringent.
When it comes to the labeling of these dangerous applications and product uses, they are extremely silent or state more research is needed.
Regulatory Safety Limits
EPA - 2 parts mercury per billion in drinking water (2 ppb).
FDA - 1 part Methyl mercury per million in seafood (1 ppm).
OSHA - 0.1 milligram of organic mercury per cubic meter of workplace air (0.1 mg/m3) and 0.05 mg/m3 of metallic mercury vapor for 8-hour shifts and 40-hour work weeks.
Health Effects
There are over 150 symptomatic conditions that can be manifested in human health, with a direct causal relationship to mercury exposure.
Long Term Health Effects
- Brain & Nervous System Damage
- Kidney Damage
- Emotional Effects
- Sensory including Hearing and Sight
Short Term Exposure
- Lung Damage
- Nausea, Diarrhea and Vomiting
- Blood Pressure and Heart Rate Increases
- Skin Rash and Eye Irritation
There are over 150 symptomatic conditions that can be manifested in human health, with a direct causal relationship to mercury exposure.
Regulation
The three main actors in regulating hazardous materials are the EPA, FDA and OHSA
Their regulations and safety standards for mercury exposure appear to be very stringent.
When it comes to the labeling of these dangerous applications and product uses, they are extremely silent or state more research is needed.
Regulatory Safety Limits
EPA - 2 parts mercury per billion in drinking water (2 ppb).
FDA - 1 part Methyl mercury per million in seafood (1 ppm).
OSHA - 0.1 milligram of organic mercury per cubic meter of workplace air (0.1 mg/m3) and 0.05 mg/m3 of metallic mercury vapor for 8-hour shifts and 40-hour work weeks.
Health Effects
There are over 150 symptomatic conditions that can be manifested in human health, with a direct causal relationship to mercury exposure.
Long Term Health Effects
- Brain & Nervous System Damage
- Kidney Damage
- Emotional Effects
- Sensory including Hearing and Sight
Short Term Exposure
- Lung Damage
- Nausea, Diarrhea and Vomiting
- Blood Pressure and Heart Rate Increases
- Skin Rash and Eye Irritation
Methyl-mercury and Mercuric Chloride
- Caused increase of several tumor types including kidney tumors in mice.
Mercury Effects in Children and Preborn
- Breaches the biological barrier between Mother and Fetus
- Fetal Damage including brain damage, mental retardation, poor coordination, blindness, seizures, and inability to speak.
- May develop kidney, nervous and digestive system damage.
Mercury Forms
Mercury vapor - From metallic liquid mercury and metallic mercury including alloys
Methyl-mercury - Often defined as organic mercury is mercury that has been modified by biological processes such as fish and animal ingestion of mercury. Most critical and dangerous.
Ethyl-mercury - This engineered form of mercury was designed for use as a preservative for vaccines. (thimerosal)
Inorganic mercury compounds and Salts found in the environment locked in other materials like coal.
Mercury Usage
Medical & Pharmaceutical
The medical community needed a solution to resolve the contamination of the multi-dose vials.
In 1930 a chemical compound Ethyl-mercury was created (thimerosal) that worked extremely well as a preservative.
The chemical composition does contain 50% by weight is mercury (it's complete atomic form)
There is approximately 25 micrograms of mercury (in thimerosal) per 0.5 mL vaccine dose. Depending on the vaccine formulations used and the weight of the infant, some infants could have been exposed to cumulative levels of mercury during the first six months of life that exceeded EPA recommended guidelines for safe intake of methyl-mercury.
In the 50's Methyl-mercury was determined to be an issue in sea food in Japan, containing the metal mercury.
This was noted by the FDA and standards were set of exposure.
This issue should have raised concern with the Ethyl-mercury used in vaccines.
To date by their own admission there has not been any scientific testing and study of Ethyl-mercury used in vaccines.
To date the FDA is pushing the pharmaceutical companies in the background to eliminate the thimerosal from all vaccines.
CFL
EPA as of 9/24/09
EPA has issued a standard for CFL cleanup.
EPA is evaluating Maine's Department of Environmental Protection Study
Elevated levels of mercury occur weeks later when aerosolized by vacuuming carpet contaminated with a broken CFL even after cleanup.
Mercury is aerosolized when a CFL is broken.
No mention of any respiratory protection that should be worn during cleanup.
Carpet removal is not mandatory.
No study is made on the risk of a contaminated vacuum distributing contaminated material throughout the house.
Nationally there are over 500 million lamps containing mercury vapors that are broken and released into the atmosphere.
Dental
A silver filling is 50% mercury the correct label is a mercury filling. These dental amalgam fillings emit mercury vapors well after 50 years. These vapors are inhaled and absorbed 80% in the body. Bacteria found naturally in the mouth and body can and does combine with these vapors to create the even more toxic combination of methyl-mercury.
Greater amounts of vapor are generated with tooth polishing, brushing, chewing gum, eating hot foods. As the mouth is generally warmer than the melting point of mercury this material is never stable.
Electrical & Electronic, Automotive, Photo Processing, Gold Refinery
Many uses are made of mercury in industry.
Electronic and Electrical control devices use varying amounts of mercury.
Automotive electrical switches.
Gold is excreted from the ore by mercury.
Many consumable products including batteries can contain mercury.
Legal
Law, Legislation, and environmental safety.
There is little to no regulation regarding the 'marking' of product that contains mercury.
There is most often no regulations for the enforcement and proper disposal of mercury containing waste.
The State of Maine is on the leading edge for legislative and environmental reform related to mercury.
Education
There is little to no consumer education related to identifying mercury hazards
There little or no education to the proper disposal of mercury laced products.
Recyclers and waste management personnel often do not know the hazards they are encountering in their daily work handling these materials.
http://www.mercuryexposure.org/index.php?page_id=61
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/cabs/mercury/index.html
http://www.ead.anl.gov/pub/doc/mercury.pdf
http://www.epa.gov/mercury/spills/index.htm#whatnever
http://www.maine.gov/dep/rwm/homeowner/cflreport.htm
http://www.almr.org/almr_project_web.html
http://www.eastindentistry.com/faq
http://www.newrules.org/environment/rules/mercury-pollution/mercury-pollution-maines-model-mercury-reduction-rules
What Can Be Done
Products containing mercury must be predominately marked with a distinctive color along with the astronomical symbol?
Public service announcements on the handling and risks of the handling and proper disposal of mercury laced products.
Experts need to conduct a study of best practices and legislation and implement controls as soon as possible.
'Working with manufacturers', Studying environmental and health effects must now transition into regulatory action and 'truth'.
Personal Reflections
It is apparent to me that this hazardous material is one of a love/hate relationship, industry and medical love to use it, hate to regulate it or recognize it's danger.
The government refuses to study the health effects of thimerosal in vaccines and amalgam.
- Afraid of liability can be the only reason that this is not done, any other reason would be a 'real dark motive'.
Work place environment seems to have regulatory controls but little is done with post consumer disposal.
Mercury laced injections? Never!
Regardless of the lack of community awareness, much education can be regained on the internet regarding this subject,
There is strict handling, controls, disposal rules governing the use by dentists to prevent pollution yet it is OK to place the mercury in the mouth 2-3 inches from the brain.
I personally removed all CFL's as the risk and consequence is worse than the cost. One broken CFL can contaminate my home for an extended period of time and will not take the risk.
I did not know that conventional florescent bulbs also contained mercury and experienced many breaks of these tubes in my life, fortunately (or unfortunately?) not inside.
- Caused increase of several tumor types including kidney tumors in mice.
Mercury Effects in Children and Preborn
- Breaches the biological barrier between Mother and Fetus
- Fetal Damage including brain damage, mental retardation, poor coordination, blindness, seizures, and inability to speak.
- May develop kidney, nervous and digestive system damage.
Mercury Forms
Mercury vapor - From metallic liquid mercury and metallic mercury including alloys
Methyl-mercury - Often defined as organic mercury is mercury that has been modified by biological processes such as fish and animal ingestion of mercury. Most critical and dangerous.
Ethyl-mercury - This engineered form of mercury was designed for use as a preservative for vaccines. (thimerosal)
Inorganic mercury compounds and Salts found in the environment locked in other materials like coal.
Mercury Usage
Medical & Pharmaceutical
The medical community needed a solution to resolve the contamination of the multi-dose vials.
In 1930 a chemical compound Ethyl-mercury was created (thimerosal) that worked extremely well as a preservative.
The chemical composition does contain 50% by weight is mercury (it's complete atomic form)
There is approximately 25 micrograms of mercury (in thimerosal) per 0.5 mL vaccine dose. Depending on the vaccine formulations used and the weight of the infant, some infants could have been exposed to cumulative levels of mercury during the first six months of life that exceeded EPA recommended guidelines for safe intake of methyl-mercury.
In the 50's Methyl-mercury was determined to be an issue in sea food in Japan, containing the metal mercury.
This was noted by the FDA and standards were set of exposure.
This issue should have raised concern with the Ethyl-mercury used in vaccines.
To date by their own admission there has not been any scientific testing and study of Ethyl-mercury used in vaccines.
To date the FDA is pushing the pharmaceutical companies in the background to eliminate the thimerosal from all vaccines.
CFL
EPA as of 9/24/09
EPA has issued a standard for CFL cleanup.
EPA is evaluating Maine's Department of Environmental Protection Study
Elevated levels of mercury occur weeks later when aerosolized by vacuuming carpet contaminated with a broken CFL even after cleanup.
Mercury is aerosolized when a CFL is broken.
No mention of any respiratory protection that should be worn during cleanup.
Carpet removal is not mandatory.
No study is made on the risk of a contaminated vacuum distributing contaminated material throughout the house.
Nationally there are over 500 million lamps containing mercury vapors that are broken and released into the atmosphere.
Dental
A silver filling is 50% mercury the correct label is a mercury filling. These dental amalgam fillings emit mercury vapors well after 50 years. These vapors are inhaled and absorbed 80% in the body. Bacteria found naturally in the mouth and body can and does combine with these vapors to create the even more toxic combination of methyl-mercury.
Greater amounts of vapor are generated with tooth polishing, brushing, chewing gum, eating hot foods. As the mouth is generally warmer than the melting point of mercury this material is never stable.
Electrical & Electronic, Automotive, Photo Processing, Gold Refinery
Many uses are made of mercury in industry.
Electronic and Electrical control devices use varying amounts of mercury.
Automotive electrical switches.
Gold is excreted from the ore by mercury.
Many consumable products including batteries can contain mercury.
Legal
Law, Legislation, and environmental safety.
There is little to no regulation regarding the 'marking' of product that contains mercury.
There is most often no regulations for the enforcement and proper disposal of mercury containing waste.
The State of Maine is on the leading edge for legislative and environmental reform related to mercury.
Education
There is little to no consumer education related to identifying mercury hazards
There little or no education to the proper disposal of mercury laced products.
Recyclers and waste management personnel often do not know the hazards they are encountering in their daily work handling these materials.
http://www.mercuryexposure.org/index.php?page_id=61
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/cabs/mercury/index.html
http://www.ead.anl.gov/pub/doc/mercury.pdf
http://www.epa.gov/mercury/spills/index.htm#whatnever
http://www.maine.gov/dep/rwm/homeowner/cflreport.htm
http://www.almr.org/almr_project_web.html
http://www.eastindentistry.com/faq
http://www.newrules.org/environment/rules/mercury-pollution/mercury-pollution-maines-model-mercury-reduction-rules
What Can Be Done
Products containing mercury must be predominately marked with a distinctive color along with the astronomical symbol?
Public service announcements on the handling and risks of the handling and proper disposal of mercury laced products.
Experts need to conduct a study of best practices and legislation and implement controls as soon as possible.
'Working with manufacturers', Studying environmental and health effects must now transition into regulatory action and 'truth'.
Personal Reflections
It is apparent to me that this hazardous material is one of a love/hate relationship, industry and medical love to use it, hate to regulate it or recognize it's danger.
The government refuses to study the health effects of thimerosal in vaccines and amalgam.
- Afraid of liability can be the only reason that this is not done, any other reason would be a 'real dark motive'.
Work place environment seems to have regulatory controls but little is done with post consumer disposal.
Mercury laced injections? Never!
Regardless of the lack of community awareness, much education can be regained on the internet regarding this subject,
There is strict handling, controls, disposal rules governing the use by dentists to prevent pollution yet it is OK to place the mercury in the mouth 2-3 inches from the brain.
I personally removed all CFL's as the risk and consequence is worse than the cost. One broken CFL can contaminate my home for an extended period of time and will not take the risk.
I did not know that conventional florescent bulbs also contained mercury and experienced many breaks of these tubes in my life, fortunately (or unfortunately?) not inside.
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