Be Mercury Free

Mercury is toxic to both humans and aquatic life (e.g., fish and shellfish). If ingested, mercury exposure at high levels can result in adverse health effects that harm the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, and immune system of people of all ages.

Mercury can escape to the environment when it is dumped down the drain or when items containing mercury are broken or thrown away. Improperly disposed mercury can eventually enter the atmosphere or the environment causing deposition into our lakes and streams, where it is converted by naturally occurring bacteria into methylmercury, a more toxic organic form of mercury that contaminates our water and our fish.

Pollution prevention is the best way to protect our health and the environment from mercury contamination. This means tackling the problem at the source so less mercury pollution is created. The best way you can help prevent mercury pollution is to safely dispose of mercury-containing items at a certified Household Hazardous Waste Facility. Compact fluorescent light tubes can be returned to stores where they are sold.

You should also replace older mercury-containing products or equipment in your home with safer alternatives, whenever possible.

Mercury has been used in many different consumer and commercial products and industrial sectors. While the use of mercury has been reduced, you should be aware that some older items in your home or office—and even some new products available for purchase—may contain mercury.

Household products containing mercury can break, spilling mercury and releasing a vapor that is harmful to human health. Here are some tips to keep your home mercury free:

• Keep fluorescent bulbs and other products that contain mercury out of the household trash, where they can break and release harmful mercury.
• Take mercury-containing products to a disposal facility or recycling program.
• Replace old silver fever thermometers that contain mercury with safe digital thermometers.
• Consider replacing your old mercury-containing thermostat with a programmable electronic thermostat.

If a fluorescent bulb or other mercury-containing product breaks in your home, have everyone leave the area and then carefully follow these tips to prevent the spill from contaminating your home. Never use a vacuum cleaner or broom to clean up mercury.

Mercury in waterways accumulates in the tissue of fish, and as larger fish eat smaller ones, mercury concentrations increase in the bigger fish. For those who catch their own fish, the State of California regularly posts fish advisories and safe eating guidelines for specific water bodies. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also offer advice to help you choose the safest commercially available fish to eat.

Because the entire Lower Sacramento River region is impaired due to high mercury concentrations in fish, those who consume fish regularly must be aware that fish in certain areas or fish of certain types may be unsafe for frequent consumption, especially for children and women of child-bearing age.

SacSewer and other sewer agencies are facing increased regulatory attention for levels of mercury in the sewage they treat and ultimately discharge into receiving waters.

Efforts have been made to reduce the use of mercury-containing equipment and chemicals by hospitals, schools, universities, and dental offices. Outreach has been conducted to educate these institutional users about proper disposal of mercury and mercury-containing equipment and products, as well as the effective containment of potential mercury spills.

Water quality regulators are also taking measures to reduce methylmercury in Delta fish and reduce the amount of mercury entering the San Francisco Bay from the Delta.

This includes mercury limits for dischargers such as SacSewer. SacSewer must maintain total mercury discharges at specified levels, implement mercury pollution minimization plans, perform studies to see if methylmercury can be reduced at the treatment plant, and participate in exposure reduction programs to protect humans consuming Delta fish. At this time, SacSewer is in compliance with its total mercury discharge limit.