• Tired of dealing with mercury spills in the lab?
• Obsolete sphygmomanometers got your pressure up?
• Some day you'd like to eat the fish you catch without a worry?
• Or maybe you just want to do a good, green deed for Earth Day?

Hatter's Pledge! NIH employees interested in joining our efforts are invited to participate in our pledge program. No donations are requested - just a promise to do your part to help make the Hatter's Campaign a success.

Participants in the Hatter's Pledge! Program agree to:

• Become better informed about the hazards posed by mercury and how to reduce them. The Hatter's Links and the Hatter's Library offer a wealth of general and technical information.
• Survey their lab, clinic or work area for reagents, chemicals,  biomedical equipment and thermometers, barometers, and other items that may contain mercury.
• Replace these items with mercury-free or reduced mercury alternatives, if suitable alternatives are available.
• Have their work area checked for mercury contamination, if there may have been past spills or uses of mercury that could have been released in the work area.
• Immediately report all spills of mercury - no matter how small.
  On NIH campus, call the Fire Department (911) who are the NIH hazardous material (HAZMAT) emergency responder
  Off campus, call the local fire department or facility's hazardous material (HAZMAT) emergency responder
• Manage unavoidable mercury wastes properly by keeping them separate from all other wastes; labeling, containing and disposing of them in accordance with NIH requirements. Contact the Environmental Protection Division (301-496-7775) if you need assistance.

How to make an NIH Mercury Free Pledge:

• Fill out the online form
• Print a copy of the pledge form and
  • send to:
    Mercury Reduction Campaign
    Environmental Protection Division (DEP), ORF
    13 South Drive, Room 2W64
    Bethesda MD 20892-5746
  • Fax it to 301-480-8056
• Call the DEP, 301-496-7775, to have a form sent to you.