Many states, organizations, and communities have initiated a variety of assistance programs aimed at reducing mercury pollution from commercial, industrial, and consumer sources and in products. States have also implemented outreach programs to inform the public about potential health effects of mercury pollution.

Pollution prevention (P2) opportunities to reduce sources of mercury pollution in commercial, institutional, or industrial applications are typically organized around sectors that are known to use products that contain mercury (sector-based approach). Common sectors for mercury pollution reduction efforts include:

Households and communities are also the focus of mercury pollution prevention efforts. The Northeast Waste Management Officials Association (NEWMOA) developed a document, Eight Good Ideas for Reducing Mercury Exposure and Pollution in your Community, as a guide for municipalities that want to implement pollution prevention activities in their communities: www.newmoa.org/prevention/mercury/schools/MunicipalBroch_sixpages.pdf [PDF]

Examples of mercury pollution prevention and reduction programs are shown in Table 2.

There are non-mercury alternatives available for many comparable products that contain mercury. In fact, some non-mercury products have replaced their mercury-added counterparts, and these "alternatives" are now the norm. For example, the majority of fever thermometers available for sale in the U.S. are non-mercury. These digital, alcohol-based, or other mineral spirit thermometers are inexpensive, accurate, and widely available. They are used in homes, hospitals, and schools.

Many measuring devices that traditionally contained mercury are now being replaced with non-mercury versions. Barometers, manometers, hydrometers, psychrometers, and lab thermometers are available in digital, aneroid, alcohol and/or mineral spirit alternative devices. Many of these measuring devices are used in schools or laboratories and switching to non-mercury devices prevents mercury pollution as a result of breakage, a spill, or at end-of-life and reduces the risk of mercury exposure to teachers, students, and the environment. For information on non-mercury alternatives found in schools, go to: www.newmoa.org/prevention/mercury/schools/MercuryAlternativesReport.pdf [PDF].

For additional information on mercury-added products and their non-mercury alternatives, see EPA's Database on Mercury-Containing Products and Alternatives at: www.epa.gov/hg/database.htm.

There are a variety of IMERC Mercury Product Fact Sheets that focus on specific mercury-added products and alternatives at: www.newmoa.org/prevention/mercury/imerc/factsheets/.

Mercury Reduction Programs
The National Mercury Reduction Programs Database is an online compilation of information on federal, state, and local programs focused on reducing mercury releases to the environment. The programs involve sector-based and/or product-based assistance approaches. Sometimes these approaches are combined. Users may view a list of records by state or agency. They may also conduct a search for specific mercury reduction programs based on the types of programs (e.g., sector-specific or community-based) or the mercury products that are affected.

Last Updated: 11/14/08