Environmental Issues > Health Main Page > All Health Documents
Lost and Found
Missing mercury from chemical plants pollutes air and water
Mercury is an invisible, odorless poison that can pollute oceans and rivers, contaminate our food and seep into the air, potentially causing severe health problems when ingested by humans. A major source of this pollution is chlor-alkali chemical manufacturing plants. Not only do these plants release harmful mercury into the environment, but they also cannot account for tons of mercury "lost" each year -- mercury which likely ends up in the air we breathe. This April 2006 NRDC issue paper reveals new sampling evidence that mercury emissions near the nation’s oldest and most polluting plants sometimes exceed government safe levels for chronic exposure, raising concerns for the health of residents who live near facilities in Ohio, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and Louisiana.
OVERVIEW & QUICK REFERENCE
Press release
FULL ISSUE PAPER IN PDF
Adobe Acrobat file (size: 5.3 MB)
Click here if you need a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader (free)
OUTLINE
Executive Summary
Introduction
NRDC Investigation Uncovers Further Cause for Alarm
EPA Studies Support Findings of Elevated Mercury Levels
The EPA Fails to Address the Mercury Problem
Recommendations
Appendix: Detailed Sampling Results
Endnotes
Sign up for NRDC's online newsletter
NRDC Gets Top Ratings from the Charity Watchdogs
- Charity Navigator awards NRDC its 4-star top rating.
- Worth magazine named NRDC one of America's 100 best charities.
- NRDC meets the highest standards of the Wise Giving Alliance of the Better Business Bureau.
Switchboard Blogs
- President Obama's Giant Step to Give Our Kids a Healthier, Low-Carbon Future
- posted by Kim Knowlton, 7/1/13
- Bipartisan Senate leadership on antibiotic use in livestock
- posted by Avinash Kar, 6/27/13
- Can Your Beach Vacation Make You Sick?
- posted by Peter Lehner, 6/26/13
Related Stories
- Simple Steps
- A healthier you. A healthier home. A healthier Earth -- one step at a time.
- Is Organic Food Worth It?
- The short answer is yes -- get the lowdown from This Green Life.
- Pet Products May Harm Both Pets and Humans
- Poisons in many pet pesticide products are not safe for pets or humans.
