After a long series of delays, US EPA finally announced that it is establishing, in consort with other federal partners, a stakeholder panel process to provide the U.S. government with a range of options for better managing non-federal mercury supplies. As part of this process, the panel will hold a series of public meetings over a six-month period beginning with the first meeting in Washington, D.C., on May 8. The charge to the panel is to consider: 1 ) how the various stocks of mercury should be managed both in the short-term and the long-term, and 2 ) how current and future supply and demand affect this determination for each of the various stocks. As a starting point, EPA has distributed a background paper. The public can also provide written comments on the issues the stakeholder panel. When sending in comments, mention that the Docket Identification Number is EPA-HQ-OPPT-2007-0148. More information about the stakeholder panel and the EPA “Roadmap for Mercury ” is available on the EPA web site.
Category Archives: US
Mercury policy issues relevant to the US context
Dental Report Highlights Reasons For Mercury Phase Out
Advocates released a report supporting recommendations by the Vermont Air Pollution Control Division and the Advisory Committee on Mercury Pollution to phase out the use of mercury dental amalgam. The report outlines the many reasons to phase out mercury in dentistry–ranging from indirect toxic releases into wastewater, landfills and farmers’ fields to more direct releases from dental clinics, human wastes and cremation.
Two years ago, the Vermont Legislature mandated requirements for dental clinics to install pollution control equipment. But advocates maintain that the legislature has not gone far enough, and a growing number of Vermont agencies, officials and committees.
In its “2007 Annual Report to the Governor, General Assembly and Citizens of the State of Vermont,” the Advisory Committee on Mercury Pollution stated its support for “an eventual phase-out of mercury-containing dental amalgam…and recommends that the Legislature consider this [in order] to virtually eliminate the release of anthropogenic mercury in Vermont.” In addition, the Committee recommends that the Legislature consider legislation to ban the use of dental amalgams in the two highest risk populations, pregnant women and children under 18. “Mercury tooth fillings are one of the largest pollution sources in Vermont today,” said Michael Bender, Director of Mercury Policy Project in a statement. “While mercury releases from human wastes and cremation may be an uncomfortable topic, most people understand that if they have mercury in their teeth, it will eventually be released into the environment.” Legislation is currently being considered in VT to phase out dental mercury use.
Department of Energy to Continue to Store Mercury Stocks
In a response to a letter from Senator Barack Obama, Department of Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman cites recognition of both health and environmental concerns for reasons why the DOE “has no current plans to sell” their stockpile of over 1,200 metric tons of mercury. According to a draft background document, “DOE will continue to store its mercury stocks while investigating alternative long-term storage options.” The December 18, 2006 background draft also states that “.. the U.S. Government’s actions not to sell mercury on the open market sends a positive message to both private and state domestic mercury holders, as well as to global mercury policy makers…By committing to long-term storage of U.S. owned mercury, the U.S. Government can develop a position for the UNEP Governing Council meeting that: 1) Indicates that the U.S. has committed to storing 70% of its stocks, and 2) the U.S. Government has in place a stakeholder process that will develop options for management of its remaining nonfederal stocks of mercury.”
Groups Urge Department of Energy Not to Sell Mercury Stocks
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is considering selling some 1,300 tons of surplus mercury on the international market, prompting urgent warnings from health organizations such as NRDC and MPP that the toxic metal would easily find its way back into the domestic food chain from the developing world. The DOE stockpile is more than eight times the amount exported in 2004 by all U.S. companies combined. Once used in weapons and other energy-related technologies, the mercury is now obsolete for DOE functions and no longer of any use to the government. Exported mercury also poses a substantial direct health risk to workers around the world, said Michael Bender, director of the Mercury Policy Project. “As many as 15 million gold miners in more than 40 countries, for example, are at risk from high-concentration mercury vapors and mercury intoxication, which can lead to severe nervous system poisoning,” he said. “The U.S. government has a moral obligation to restrict its exports to developing countries, as the European Union recently proposed to do by 2011.”
US and EU Initiatives to Ban Mercury Exports
Today, US Senator Barack Obama sent a letter to US Dept. of Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman requesting clarification on recent reports that DOE is considering the sale of its 1300+ tons of its surplus mercury currently stored at its Oak Ridge, TN facility. “Given that mercury is a trans-boundary pollutant that is deposited both locally and globally, any strategy to reduce mercury in the environment must also include reducing the volume of mercury traded and solid in the world market,” states the letter from Senator Obama. Senator Obama has expressed concerns about global mercury issues and has introduced the Mercury Market Minimization Act (S. 3627), which would ban the export of surplus mercury from the US, similar to the proposal to ban mercury exports described below by the European Commission. The EC recently hosted an international conference on managing international supply and demand of mercury (see online presentations), including a presentation from MPP director Michael Bender. Policy makers, industry representatives, non-governmental organizations and scientists participated in this event. The conference brought together experts and stakeholders from around the world to discuss, in an open dialogue, the way forward to reduce mercury supply and demand.
EU Propose Export Ban
As the U.S. considers surplus mercury issues, NGOs welcomed an EU regulation to ban mercury exports and ensure safe storage of surplus mercury so that this dangerous neurotoxin will not re-enter the global market. The proposed EU export ban sends a clear message to world governments and the upcoming UNEP Governing Council meeting in February 2007 that mercury exports should be curtailed globally, say NGOs. Mercury trade to over 50 developing countries, according to EU reports exposes miners to severe health impacts when used in gold mining and also pollutes the global environment, according to the UNIDO Global Mercury Project . “We’ve got to stop the cycle of toxic trade and contamination which ends up polluting our lunch sandwiches and dinners in the US,” said Michael Bender of MPP and Zero Mercury Working Group (see coverage). “The Commission recognized that it is very important that mercury supply and demand are addressed simultaneously.” The U.S. EPA has stated that it will initiate discussions on the surplus mercury issue in its Roadmap on Mercury in 2006. “Ultimately, it will be important to look at ways to permanently “retire” non-federally owned or managed commodity-grade mercury that will eventually have little or even negative economic value,” states the Roadmap. The Department of Defense has decided to permanently store, rather than sell, over 4,000 tons of surplus mercury.
Advocates Question Bias in Seafood Consumption Report
As the Institute of Medicine announces the release of a new report on Oct.17, Seafood Choices: Balancing Benefits and Risks, advocates are questioning the process that the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) used in selecting committee members. At the beginning of the process, MPP and other advocates wrote a letter expressing concerns over the selection of a consumer representative who had close ties with food producing companies. Advocates also met with IOM, and suggested that the IOM committee was unbalanced, pointing out that all but one member of the Committee was a nutritionist and that the overall emphasis of the Committee work focus on nutritional benefits rather than the risk of exposure to toxins like mercury.
Since then, it has come to light (see pages 11 & 12 of the report) that the one scientist on the committee with experience in reviewing health effects of mercury had published a report, two months before being appointed to the NAS committee, that was funded by the US Tuna Foundation and the National Food Processors Association Research Foundation. In the study for the fishing industry, this scientist concluded that pregnant women who reduced fish consumption instead of substituting low-mercury fish for high-mercury species would be doing more harm than good for their developing fetus. The study appeared in the academic literature, complete with disclosure of its funding sources, months after the Committee’s work got underway.
MPP Testifies Before FDA on Dangers of Mercury Fillings
Federal health advisers to the FDA have rejected a government report that mercury tooth fillings are safe, saying that the conclusion is not reasonable. The panel also stated that a large federal review of data fails to clearly and objectively present the current body of knowledge on the subject. During the two day hearing in early September, dozens of people—including activists, citizens, dentists and dental assistants—complained of ill health effects that they attribuuted to mercury fillings.
Along with others, MPP’s director testified before the 25 Member panel on September 7th. MPP also showed 7 minutes of a documentary from Norway called Mercury Girls which showed historical film of Norwegian dental nurses (assistants) working with amalgam in their bare hands. In 2005 the Norwegian Broadcasting Company examined complaints of dental nurses who had high levels of mercury. The reports of high mercury exposure was shocking. In the study results between the dental nurses and a control group, the results even surprised the scientists. 25% of the dental nurses reported having neurological problems. 36% of the dental nurses had tremors compared to 8% in the control group. 14% of the dental nurses had problems with memory vs the control group having no problems with memory. 18% of the dental nurses were depressed compared to 4% in the control group. 21% of the dental nurses had heart and lung problems, compared to 5 % of the control group. After the dental nurses saw the documentary in Norway and Denmark, they reported that their offspring was affected too, and a second documentary was produced, entitled Mercury Children. Bender’s presentation concluded with recommendations that 1) amalgam placement needs to be banned during pregnancy and 2) dental assistants should be placed on leave during pregnancy.
Advocates Urge Ban on Mercury Fillings in Pregnant Women
As an FDA hearing gets underway regarding the safety of amalgam, advocates are petitioning FDA to ban mercury tooth fillings in pregnant women to protect unborn children from unnecessary exposure to mercury. The groups point out that placement of dental mercury has already been banned in many countries, and amalgam makers warn dentists about putting it in pregnant women and children. “As most everyone knows, the developing fetus is most at risk from mercury.” said Michael Bender, director of the Mercury Policy Project. “So why isn’t FDA joining Health Canada and other countries in banning its placement in pregnant women?”
According to the petition, encapsulated dental amalgam arrives at a dentist’s office with skull and cross bones affixed next to the words “POISON, CONTAINS METALLIC MERCURY.” Mercury, the warning states, is a “potentially hazardous substance” with “neurotoxic/nephrotoxic effects“; “a chemical known to the state of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm.” The two largest amalgam manufacturers – Kerrr and Dentsply advise dentists away from placing amalgam in pregnant women, nursing mothers, children under six, and anyone with kidney disease. Kerr, the largest mercury amalgam manufacturer in the American market, warns dentists:
“The health authorities of the various countries, including Canada, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Norway and Austria have recommended against the placement or removal of an amalgam in certain individuals such as pregnant and nursing women and persons with impaired kidney function.”
Dentsply/Caulk, the second largest mercury amalgam manufacturer, warns:
“Contraindication (N.B.: “Contraindication” is a directive to forbid, not just a “warning.”) “In children 6 and under” and “In expectant mothers.”