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Mercury Contamination
A Guide to Staying Healthy and Fighting Back
The Dangers of Mercury
Exposure to mercury, even in small amounts, is a great danger to humans and wildlife.
When mercury enters the body it acts as a neurotoxin, which means it harms our brain and nervous system. Mercury exposure is especially dangerous to pregnant women and young children, but all adults are at risk for serious medical problems.
Most mercury pollution is produced by coal-fired power plants and other industrial processes. The most common way we are exposed to mercury is by eating contaminated fish.
NRDC is working hard to reduce mercury pollution in our air and water.
Protect Yourself and Your Family from Mercury Exposure
Here are some resources to help you reduce your exposure to mercury:
- Learn more about the dangerous effects of mercury
- Understand your risk with our Mercury Calculator
- Follow these simple steps to reduce your risk
- Use our Mercury in Fish Wallet Card to easily identify safe options
- Take advantage of our Sushi Guide and Safe Sushi Card
- Find out the answers to common medical and dental questions (we also have more information for medical professionals)
Help Stop Mercury Pollution
Despite the availability of cost-effective technologies and safer alternatives, the regulation of mercury pollution has been surprisingly slow. After years of stonewalling, the biggest and dirtiest polluters are working harder than ever to weaken or delay proposed and recently adopted standards. These standards would save as many as 24,600 American lives and prevent up to 170,650 cases of aggravated asthma every year by 2016. Take action to protect your health today.
Learn about the assault on the EPA and the Clean Air Act, and what NRDC has been doing to reduce mercury pollution.
A Global Issue: Reducing Worldwide Mercury Emissions
Mercury is a pollutant that knows no borders. Mercury released halfway across the globe can end up in your local lake or in the fish you buy in your grocery store.
That’s why NRDC is working with the United Nations and the Zero Mercury Working Group, a coalition of over 80 non-governmental organizations, on a global treaty to cut mercury pollution around the world.
Learn more about our efforts to solve global mercury pollution.
last revised 8/24/2010
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TAKE ACTION
Urge your senators to co-sponsor the Safe Chemicals Act
The Safe Chemicals Act would strengthen the current law regulating the use of industrial chemicals, which was enacted in 1976 and is in serious need of an overhaul.
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