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The Web sites listed below provide information on problems posed by mercury in the environment, sources of mercury and routes of exposure, and techniques for managing mercury in the workplace and in the environment. These management techniques include information on treatment, storage, disposal and recycling of mercury and mercury-containing devices and products, as well as suggested materials that can be used instead of mercury.

EPA Mercury-Management

Main EPA Mercury Web Site
Provides general information, actions, fish advisories and technical information.

National Partnership for Environmental Priorities (NPEP)
NPEP encourages public and private organizations to form voluntary partnerships with EPA that reduce the use or release of any of 31 Priority Chemicals (PCs). Mercury is one of the 31 PCs.

NPEP's Mercury Challenge
NPEP's Mercury Challenge promotes the voluntary, systematic elimination of mercury-containing equipment from industrial sites.

The Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign and Prevention Program (SC3)
SC3 is a collaboration between EPA, other federal agencies, states and non-governmental organizations. This program, building on state and local efforts, raises national awareness of the potential dangers of chemical accumulation in K-12 schools and facilitates chemical cleanout and prevention of future chemical management problems.
Please Note: The SC3 program is not focused specifically on mercury. Mercury is only one of the chemicals covered by SC3.

Product Stewardship
Provides links to federal, state, industry, international, and NGO resources about mercury.

Ritualistic Uses of Mercury
Describes the Task Force on Ritualistic Uses of Mercury, which investigates health issues involving mercury facing Haitian and Caribbean-American communities.

Mercury-Containing Equipment
Under the Universal Waste rule, mercury-containing equipment means a device or part of a device (including thermostats, but excluding batteries and lamps) that contains elemental mercury integral to its function.

Fluorescent Lamp Recycling, February 2009 (EPA530-R-09-001) (PDF) (30 pp, 234K, About PDF) - Learn about recycling fluorescent lamps

Mercury Lamp Drum-Top Crusher Study - Learn about the results of EPA's 2006 study on the performance of mercury lamp drum-top crusher (DTC) devices.

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Other Federal Government Mercury-Management

U.S. Department of Energy (DoE)

DOE evaluates various waste management and treatment options for complex mercury-containing wastes and has produced the following demonstration reports for treatment technologies:

The Defense National Stockpile Center (DNSC)

As part of the DoD's Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) - is responsible for providing safe, secure, and environmentally sound stewardship for all commodities in the National Defense Stockpile, including mercury. In February 2006, the DNSC announced that the Hawthorne Army Depot in Hawthorne, NV was selected as the mercury consolidation location for DNSC's stockpiled mercury in excess of national defense needs. The consolidation site selection was based on several factors, including environmental and economic conditions, stakeholder comments and policy considerations. EPA was a consulting agency to the DLA in preparing an Environmental Impact Statement on the long-term storage options for this stockpiled mercury in excess of national defense needs.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' National Institutes of Health (NIH)

NIH's Campaign for a Mercury Free NIH Exit EPAseeks to eliminate all unnecessary uses of mercury in NIH facilities, encourage use of safer alternatives in biomedical research, increase general awareness of mercury hazards, and prevent mercury spills and pollution.

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Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Mercury-Management

There are a number of non-governmental organizations that focus on reducing mercury releases by raising awareness about the threat of mercury contamination, promoting the adoption of policies aimed at eliminating mercury use, and advocating the use of mercury-free alternatives.

Northeast Waste Management Official's Association (NEWMOA) strives for the "virtual elimination" of mercury through focusing on the reduction and elimination of mercury in the waste stream. The Mercury Area of NEWMOA's Web site Exit EPAprovides links to Federal Facilities Case Studies, model legislation, reference materials, mercury resources and mercury reduction programs done on the state or local level throughout the country. It provides several methods to get to Mercury Reduction Programs including by: state, program title and agency. This Web site provides summaries of many programs that focus on efforts to reduce or eliminate mercury from the waste stream. It also has a Topic Hub section providing information to be used as a quick guide on pollution prevention mercury information.

Mercury Policy Project (MPP) Exit EPAserves to "promote policies to eliminate mercury uses, reduce the export and trafficking of mercury, and significantly reduce mercury exposures at the local, national, and international levels." The MPP Web site provides mercury group information and topics that have been posted within the last two years. It provides links to articles about mercury programs such as legislation on the state, federal and NGO levels. It also provides information on mercury exposure and pollution as well as links to model mercury legislation.

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