US Senate votes to ban mercury fever thermometers

REUTERS NEWS SERVICE ^ | September 9, 2002

[Korth]

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate voted to ban the sale of mercury fever thermometers in order to curb a source of environmental contamination.

On a voice vote and without dissent, the Senate sent The Mercury Reduction and Disposal Act to the U.S. House of Representatives for concurrence.

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates medical mercury thermometers contribute about 17 tons of mercury to solid waste per year, said Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican and chief sponsor of the measure.

The bill calls for a nationwide ban on the sale of such thermometers as well as a grant program to help consumers exchange them for digital ones or other alternatives.

"Mercury fever thermometers are very easily broken. When this happens, the improper disposal of the mercury can have severe environmental and physical consequences," Collins said.

"One mercury thermometer contains about one gram of mercury," said Collins, "enough mercury to contaminate all the fish in a 20-acre (8 hectare) lake."

Her bill would also create an interagency task force, headed by the EPA, to address the problem of the global circulation of mercury and ways to reduce the mercury threat.

[Korth]

In case any of you didn't know, the newer digital thermometers and alcohol thermometers are not as accurate as mercury thermometers. They thus are denying us the most accurate, reliable way to take temperatures, as well as violating the tenth amendment. Note that the republicans, those champions of individual liberty, voted for this ban as well.

[rhombus]

This is how they are protecting us? Priorities, go figure.

[Frank_Discussion]

Thank God the Senate's finally letting some of those bills go through, right? </sarcasm>

[cactusSharp]

unflippin believable.....my gut reaction was the bad USA
was hogging mercury denying 3td world countries

[Tony Niar Brain]

If you fully realized the health dangers of mercury, you wouldn't be so willing to make this some lame states-rights issue. A small quanity of mercury, say a thermometer-full, can contaminate a LARGE area, especially if it makes its way to the groundwater. So please, spare us your libertarian spiel.

[folklore]

If I throw a thermometer into a 40 acre lake , will I only contaninate half of the fish? And if so, which half?

[TopQuark]

This is how they are protecting us? Priorities, go figure. That is politics at its best: today, before the Annversary, no one is going to feel strongly either way about... thermometers. THe easiest way to get your agenda through.

[freeeee]

And what of the 10th Amendment, and the concept of limited, enumerated powers?

Note, this isn't a libertarian argument, but a constitutional one.

[rhombus]

How did we ever survive? And with lead paint too! Oh my, better let Sadaam know right away. </sarcasm -- in case you didn't figure that out>

[PaulKersey]

If you fully realized the health dangers of mercury,

In teeth, maybe. I used to play with it as a kid. Rolled it around in my hands in the Physics lab. So maybe I'll die young? Too late for that!

Mercury came from the earth, and can safely return to the earth. Best not to pour it down the sink perhaps, but a drop of mercury in the yard won't hurt anything. This is just another case of enviro-nuttyness.

[Korth]

Note, this isn't a libertarian argument, but a constitutional one.

Exactly.

[Phantom Lord]

17 tons of mercury a year?!?!?! How much mercury is in each thermometers? A quarter ounce? Whats that total in thermomerters? Has to be in the TRILLIONS!

Where are they getting this number?

[toupsie]

Wow! I feel safe to bend over now...

[A Vast RightWing Conspirator]

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates medical mercury thermometers contribute about 17 tons of mercury to solid waste per year, said Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican and chief sponsor of the measure.

I can only hope that this is not an accurate quote, coming from the EPA.

For starters, mercury could not be 'solid waste' for the simple reason that it is a LIQUID.

Secondly, the amount of mercury per thermometer is minuscule, probably 1/10 of 1 gram per thermometer. This would indicate that 170,000,000 mercury-based thermometers are discarded each year, which would be simply unbelievable.

And, even if it were true, check this out:

DEMAND: Manufacturing of chlorine and caustic soda consumes approximately 35 percent of the mercury used in the United States, according to the USGS. Electrical and electronic applications consume 30 percent, and the remaining 35 percent is used for such applications as measuring and control instruments and dental amalgams. An estimated 400 tonnes of mercury were consumed in the United States in 1998, up from 346 tonnes in 1997 but down from earlier years. The value of mercury used in the United States was estimated at $2 million, the USGS said.

[babygene]

Actually, you probably have more metallic mercury in your teeth than what would be in a fever thermometer.

The amalgm used for dental fillings is 50% metallic mercury and 50% silver. Yet we are told that this is no problem.

[11th Earl of Mar]

The Senate can stick the thermometer issue up their collective @ss.

[riverrunner]

What to you consider a large area. And to do any harm something would have to eat it. Just more untruths put out by the wackos on the left. It is the degree on contaminate that is in question here. The anti's always make things worse then they are.

[lotus]

When I was a kid, one of my older brothers first introduced me to mercury. It was fun to play with, almost magical....Kids in school, labs etc..., played with it.

The dentists put it in our teeth fillings.....

I think where the problem lies is we elect ignorant people who can't hold down real jobs.

Might as well use their logic and ban copper, after all it's poisonous too. Can kill rather quickly....that is the proper Compound of copper

Some elements are harmless but their compounds deadly. Maybe they need to tell all us older people with mercury in our teeth we're dead as of years ago.

Mercury wont even dissolvwe in water.....

[Salvation]

But they cannot approve new judges for the judiciary.

Disgusting!