Mercury

Announcements

The District PMP has been in effect for about two years.  The dental sector was the top focus area for the District during the first two years of outreach under the PMP.  With all general dentistry clinics now capturing 95% or more of scrap amalgam that may have gone down the drain previously, the District now can focus on other mercury PMP sectors.  In 2009, target sectors will include post-secondary schools and medical facilities.   Read the District PMP to learn more about the mercury sectors that will be addressed.

Dental Program Goal Reached: As of the 12/31/08 deadline, 100% of clinics have installed or will soon install amalgam separation equipment in their clinic wastewater lines.  Of 102 local general dentistry clinics, 97 have installed the separation equipment. The five remaining clinics are relocating or remodeling in the first quarter of 2009 and will install separation equipment in their new clinics.

List of Dental Clinics with Amalgam Separators Installed

Dental Information

Dental Ordinance Questions Answered
 MMSD Sewer Use Ordinance Regarding BMP's & Amalgam Separator Installation
ADA Best Management Practices
Reporting form: New separator installation
Site Visit Preparation

Wisconsin Dental Mercury Pollution Prevention Program
 

Dental Newsletters:

Toxic Mercury

  • Naturally occurring element, present as a contaminant in fossil fuels. 

  • Used by people for centuries.  Mercury is liquid at room temperature, dense, electrically conductive, and toxic.

  • Uses take advantage of many forms of mercury: liquid metal, salts, gas, and amalgams which are chemical combinations with other metals.

  • Mercury as a pollutant travels far and wide on wind and water currents. 

  • Accumulates in the environment in fish, wildlife, and humans.

  • Causes nerve damage, respiratory problems and birth defects.

  • Resulted in fish consumption advisories for all inland Wisconsin lakes and streams. 

Use in Devices

Do you work with any of these items that may contain mercury?

  •       Relays

  •       Gauges

  •       Thermostats

  •       Manometers

  •       Neon Lamps

  •       Thermometers

  •       Dental Amalgam

  •       Mercury Switches

  •       Thermostat Probes

  •       Fluorescent Lamps

  •       Metal Halide Lamps

  •       Laboratory Solutions

  •       Mercury Vapor Lamps

  •       High Pressure Sodium Lamps

Proper handling and disposal and the evaluation of alternative products are the keys to minimizing mercury impacts on human health and the environment.

Thermometer Programs

Preventing environmental mercury contamination
What happened to the mercury thermometers?

Disposal of fever thermometers by the public is VOLUNTARY.  There is no requirement that people must remove them from their homes.  This is a good idea, but it is not required.  Bring your old mercury thermometers, and other mercury devices, into Clean Sweep for disposal.

Clean Sweep

The Dane County / City of Madison Clean Sweep and Product Exchange is open from May through October.

Hours: 7:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Tuesday / Wednesday / Friday / Saturday

Phone:  (608) 243-0347

Location:  behind the Dane County Highway Department garage at 2302 Fish Hatchery Road in Madison

Clean Sweep Accepts: mercury products, paints, solvents, herbicides, pesticides, ignitables, corrosives, and poisons.

Small Business materials accepted by reservation, call 243-0347 for information.

Clean Sweep is supported by two agencies; their Clean Sweep links are:

Dane County Public Works

City of Madison Public Health

Dane County Partners

Mercury is a very mobile pollutant that is present in many different waste streams.  Therefore, several cooperative efforts have been undertaken in Madison and Dane County to promote the use of alternative mercury-free products and the proper handling and disposal of mercury-containing devices.  The local mercury partners include: Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District, Dane County Public Works and Health Departments, City of Madison Public Works and Health Departments, DNR, Wisconsin Dental Association, medical facilities, universities, and secondary schools.

Express Education: Mercury Best Management Practices for Schools

Mercury Links

US-Canadian Binational Strategy 
US Environmental Protection Agency
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Wisconsin Mercury Sourcebook
United States Geological Survey 
National Association of Clean Water Agencies “Domestic Sources Report"
Western Lake Superior Sanitary District “Blueprint for Mercury Elimination"  
Mercury in Schools, curriculum available
Lamp Recycling
Devices containing mercury
Broken Thermometers spill cleanup directions 
Dental Amalgam BMPs Training Videos 1-4