Mercury cleanup effort begins

By Mindy Honey
Society Editor

The Taney County Health Department is working toward getting all mercury fever thermometers, thermostats and blood pressure cuffs out of homes because of the possible health threat if the items break and mercury spills.

“It is a health risk and it is a risk to the environment,” said Jean Mueller, public information officer with the health department.

The health department is working in conjunction with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to rid homes of mercury. The health department is inviting any private citizens or not-for-profit agencies to drop-off mercury containing instruments at either the Branson or Forsyth Taney County Health Department locations. The items will be accepted through the end of March.

According to Mueller, even tiny amounts of mercury need to be treated seriously to prevent health problems. Improperly disposing of the items may also cause serious damage to the environment. The Clean Air Council has reported that mercury thermometers alone contribute to 17 tons of mercury to the solid waste stream each year.

In 2002, the U.S. Senate passed the National Mercury Thermometer Ban Bill, which prohibits the sale of mercury thermometers except by prescription. Mercury thermometers are no longer manufactured in the U.S., however, China and India still make and export the items.

Officials recommend replacing any mercury fever thermometers, which are the glass thermometers containing silver liquid, be replaced with digital or glass alcohol thermometers.

Anyone dropping off thermometers containing mercury, thermostats or blood pressure cuffs are asked to double bag the item in plastic, lockable bags and then place the bags into an enclosed or sealed container, such as an old coffee container or plastic margarine tub. The extra packaging is required to prevent the release of mercury if the item was to break.

The health department is not collecting compact fluorescent light bulbs. Information on how to properly dispose of CFLs is available by visiting the Taney County Health Department’s Web site, taneycohealth.org, then going to the Environmental Health tab and clicking on Resources and then to the DNR link. Information is also available by calling the health department at either (417) 334-4544 or (417) 546-4725.

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