Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services: Mercury-containing devices may no longer be sold in Wisconsin -

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Mercury-containing devices may no longer be sold in Wisconsin

Wisconsin has a ban on the sale of many devices made with mercury.

   “Mercury is a hazardous material that can cause serious environmental and human health problems,” says Sue Bangert, administrator of the Air and Waste Division in the Department of Natural Resources. “When products containing mercury are broken, disposed of in a landfill, or incinerated, they risk releasing mercury into the environment, and once it is in the environment, mercury cannot be removed.”

   The Nov. 1, 2010, ban covers devices for which mercury-free alternatives are widely available:

   --fever thermometers unless prescribed by a practitioner;

   --manometers of the type used in milking machines on dairy farms;

   --thermostats;

   --instruments or measuring devices, including barometers, flowmeters, hydrometers and other thermometers;

   --mercury switches and relays; and

   --household items including, toys, jewelry, over-the-counter pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

   The law does allow the DNR to grant exemptions to the ban for specific circumstances. See the mercury reduction program at the DNR website for more information.

   More info: Sue Bangert at 608-266-0014

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