About The Interstate Mercury Education & Reduction Clearinghouse (IMERC)

- Invitation for Other State Agencies to Join IMERC
- IMERC Brochure

Starting in 1999 the states in the Northeast and other parts of the country actively began to pursue enactment of legislation focused on reducing mercury in products and waste. In the Northeast these efforts focused on enactment of provisions of the Mercury Education and Reduction Model Legislation. Copies of the Model Legislation are available on this website at http://www.newmoa.org/prevention/mercury/final_model_legislation.htm.

In 2001 the Northeast Waste Management Officials' Association (NEWMOA) launched the Interstate Mercury Education and Reduction Clearinghouse (IMERC) (press release) to provide

• ongoing technical and programmatic assistance to states that have enacted mercury education and reduction legislation
• a single point of contact for industry and the public for information on mercury-added products and member states' mercury education and reduction programs

IMERC's Activities

Overall IMERC facilitates deliberations that provide advice and assistance to the individual states for their decision-making.

Specifically, IMERC:

• collects and manages data submitted by manufacturers of mercury-added products, as necessary to implement the notification provisions of state mercury reduction legislation;
• facilitates interstate collaboration on the development and implementation of public education and outreach programs on mercury-added products;
• endeavors to make information on mercury-added products available to industry and the public;
• responds to public information requests for information on mercury-added products, the requirements of the member states, and the status of state implementation of their laws; and
• provides technical assistance, facilitate reviews, and make recommendations to the member states concerning (i) manufacturers' applications for exemptions to the phase-out of mercury-added products; (ii) manufacturers' applications for alternative labeling of mercury-added products; and (iii) manufacturers' plans for collection and proper waste management of mercury-containing materials.

IMERC's Structure
IMERC's membership includes NEWMOA and non-NEWMOA member state government agencies. The IMERC state members include California, Connecticut, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. All member states that participate in the Clearinghouse pay an annual fee.

All IMERC-member states have a vote on the recommendations made by the Clearinghouse to the states. All state representatives to IMERC are appointed by the responsible State Agency Commissioner/Director.

NEWMOA's staff provides logistical, facilitation, and technical support for the activities of IMERC.

To find out more about joining IMERC see Invitation for Other State Agencies to Join IMERC.