Letters to the Editor: Mercury safety bill needs to be passed
A letter to the editor in Missoulian discussing the importance of the mercury safety bill.
Mercury safety bill needs to be passed
I am writing to express support for an important bill that that has been introduced in the Legislature. Senate Bill 423, the Montana Mercury Safety and Protection Act, will protect Montana citizens by phasing out the use of mercury-containing products where a viable cost-effective alternative exists. As a parent of two children, I am very concerned about the effects and growing prevalence of mercury in our air and water, and feel strongly that our state government needs to act to regulate our exposure to this toxin.So what is the extent of this problem? There is an estimated 141-199 pounds of mercury from these products being dumped in Montana landfills, where they may leach into the water system or vaporize into the air.
On the national level, mercury products account for an estimated 20-29 tons of air releases nationwide and 83 tons of solid waste releases.
Mercury is a dangerous neurotoxin that has been linked to learning disabilities and developmental delays in children. Our children have a high probability of ingesting mercury when they eat fish, since it takes less than one teaspoon of mercury to contaminate a 25-acre lake to the point that fish are unsafe to eat. Federal tests of fish caught in eight Montana lakes found that every fish sample tested was contaminated with mercury and that 54 percent contained mercury levels that exceeded the federal safe limit for women of childbearing age. In July 2006, two bald eagles were found dead in Montana and were determined to have elevated mercury levels.
The Legislature needs to protect citizens of the state by joining the growing number of other states that have already passed similar legislation. It is important to act now, in order to prevent Montana from becoming the dumping ground for the many mercury-containing products still on the market.
Sharon Mader, Missoula
Read the article in Missoulian
Learn more about WVE's Mercury and Reproductive Justice Campaign, including the mercury legislation WVE is supporting, and how you can help support our work!