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.

[demlosers]

say a thermometer-full, can contaminate a LARGE area, especially if it makes its way to the groundwater.

BS! Mecury is not water soluble.

[boris]

I used to play with liquid mercury as a kid. Now they'd call out the frikkin Haz-mat squad.

Mercury has a low vapor pressure. Ask Torricelli (the one who invented the mercury barometer).

If you heat the metal (boil it) the fumes are deadly.

The liquid metal is about as dangerous as laundry soap at room temperature. I wouldn't recommend drinking it...

--Boris

[boris]

Dimethyl mercury is not metallic mercury.

--Boris

[demlosers]

I think it's made up. In my entire life I've only thrown out one thermometer, it got dropped and broke (played with the mercury for a couple of hours, cool stuff)

I got ya beat. I've bought only one mercury thermometer about 18 years ago and plan on keeping it for 18 more.
I think every kid or adult has played with mercury at least once, Yes cool stuff.

[discostu]

Bought?! I filched a couple from my mom when I moved out, a couple more came with my wife, I thought thermometers were heirlooms.

[austinTparty]

Is that why there was zero dissent in the Senate on this vote?

No, it's because Ron Paul is only a Rep...

[VOYAGER]

Those in the know realize when people speak of contaminating groundwater it is methyl mercury NOT the metallic mercury in thermometers.

I work with it everyday.

Lurking

If what you say is true and I have no facts to the contrary then what we have here is another con-job being perpetrated upon the American citizen by the lying, meddling congress who in fact have very little credibility left to squander!

[demlosers]

Yes bought it. The next time I visit my parents, I'll "filch" theirs. That thing must be almost 50 years old -- I'll take my rightful inheritance, my heirloom. Hehe...

[steamroller]

Mercury is an element.You cannot make more or less of it.there is a constant amount of mercury present in this world.If you shot it off into space on a rocket I guess you could get rid of some,but that sounds ridiculous.The greens would probably raise their eyebrows on that,but they probably don't care for rockets(exhaust).;)

[general_re]

Dimethyl mercury is not metallic mercury.

True. But the symptoms of overexposure are similar for both substances, which is why I linked to that as well, as it gave a good description of the symptoms of mercury poisoning. On the other hand, I specifically chose that particular account of that event because it left out the ultimate conclusion - she later died, but I didn't want to alarm anyone ;)

[womanvet]

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

Either the front half or the back half, I suppose...it depends on whether it was a rectal or oral thermometer...

[Jim Noble]

An African swallow-sure!

[Jim Noble]

>>It's pretty certain the Roman aristocracy went downhill mentally from the combination of inbreeding and the use of lead plumbing and dinnerware<<

But how do you explain Congress?

[general_re]

Some things are just beyond our understanding ;)

[Bernard Marx]

But how do you explain Congress?

Maybe it's the lead in their butts, Jim.

[S.O.S121.500]

Removing it is one of the nastier jobs a jeweler faces.

Old technique here:
-Halve a potato and create a cavity within, large enough to contain the mercury contaminated jewelry item.
-Place the item into the hollow and bind the halves together with cotton string.
-Place potato into a pan of water and bring to a boil then simmer for 15-20 min.
-Let the water and potato cool, remove the item, wash and brush with a little detergent and ammonia (depending on set stones), a pass through the rouge cloth and viola! The mercury has gone and the ring is gleaming.

This works on intricate items like neck chains and if conducted outdoors, presents little to no danger as the mercury stays in the water on the bottom of the pan.