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Great Lakes Binational Toxics Strategy

Stakeholder Forum - 1998

IMPLEMENTING THE BINATIONAL TOXICS STRATEGY
Mercury Workgroup

Reducing Mercury Use in Healthcare
Promoting a Healthier Environment
A How-To-Manual

The purpose of this manual is to help hospitals start mercury pollution prevention programs or accelerate programs that have already begun. New federal regulations greatly reduce the amount of mercury that is allowed to be discharged from a municipal wastewater system or an incinerator. By implementing the best management practices described in this manual, you can reduce the level of mercury in the environment and avoid the need for increased regulations in the years to come.

The manual offers general guidance on how to initiate a program and technical guidance for implementing the program. The manual includes:

Mercury in Medical Facilities

The following lists show some of the common uses of mercury that may be found in hospitals.

Medical uses:

Nonmedical uses common in medical settings:

More complete lists can be found in Appendix A and Appendix B. There is minimal risk of mercury exposure during normal use of products that are handled correctly. However, problems may occur if the mercury in a product is exposed to air, or if a product is not properly discarded so as to keep mercury out of the environment.

Mercury Pollution Prevention

Concerns about the health impacts of mercury are leading to mercury pollution prevention programs at the federal, state and local levels. The highest priority of any pollution prevention program is source reduction, which means not using mercury in the first place.

For example, some states have banned the deliberate use of mercury in certain products for which alternatives are available.

When adequate mercury alternatives are not avail able and mercury must be used, it may be possible to recycle it. Recycling is the second priority of mercury pollution prevention. Disposal of mercury should be the last resort. It is expensive and increases the potential of mercury being dispersed into the environment.

Pollution prevention programs are driven by voluntary efforts and by increasingly strict federal and state regulations. Some of the regulations govern occupational exposures and waste disposal. Other regulations result from the federal Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. The 1995 federal Great Lakes Water Quality Guidance (also referred to as the Great Lakes Initiative) sets strict water quality standards for mercury in the eight Great Lakes States. (For contacts for regulatory information, see Appendix C.)

Best Management Practices (BMPs) for the management of mercury within hospitals might involve:

The BMPs are intended to result in the greatest reduction in mercury discharge to the environment that is currently feasible for hospitals.

Benefits of Mercury Pollution Prevention

Mercury pollution prevention in the hospital provides many benefits:

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