Federal Mercury Legislation
WVE supports Senate Bill 906 and the House Bill counterpart, HR 1534, aimed to reduce mercury pollution.
This legislation is intended to prevent the United States from selling excess elemental mercury to developing countries. Right now, unregulated mercury from recycled U.S. products and excess US stockpiles can be sold to developing countries where artisanal miners use it in their gold mining process. More than 30% of these miners are women. These women are bearing children with severe developmental disorders, a result of mercury poisoning. Recently the UN has started to educate these communities about the dangers of using mercury and is helping them learn how to use non-toxic alternatives (like sand, for example). Furthermore, mercury travels globally, so putting back into unregulated markets means it will likely end up back in the environment and continue to contaminate globally.
Contact your Senator and Representative today and ask him/her to support these bills!
WVE Commentary on KUFM Public Radio