north carolinas mercury reduction champions norma murphy nc dppea [email protected]...
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North Carolina’s Mercury North Carolina’s Mercury Reduction ChampionsReduction Champions
Norma Murphy
NC DPPEA
919-715-6513
DPPEA ServicesDPPEA Services
Multi-media & Non-regulatory Staff Expertise Waste Assessments Compliance Assistance Technology Research Outreach & Training 1-800-763-0136, [email protected],
www.p2pays.org
DPPEA’s Mercury ResourcesDPPEA’s Mercury Resourceshttp://www.p2pays.org/mercury/http://www.p2pays.org/mercury/
General Information Mercury in Schools Mercury and Health What is Government Doing? Mercury in Households Fluorescent Lights EPA’s Mercury Site,
http://www.newmoa.org/prevention/topichub/toc.cfm?hub=22&subsec=7&nav=7
DPPEA Mercury AssistanceDPPEA Mercury Assistance
Industrial: Hg in effluent, product alternatives, energy audits
Municipal: Hg evaluation & reduction in wastewater; community involvement
Dentist Practices: Implementing BMPs & upgrading equipment
Industrial Reduction StrategyIndustrial Reduction Strategy
Evaluate facility operations, production data & raw materials use
Investigate existing piping and test for Hg levels in receiving water
Collect water samples simultaneously with city
Inventory Hg containing products and replace with
alternatives
Chemical/Product EvaluationChemical/Product Evaluation
Inform suppliers on concern for Hg contamination in feedstock chemicals. Hg content in ppb should be included on the MSDS and should not be expressed as a percentage.
Implement a chemical/product management program including pre-purchase review and approval by environmental staff.
Project/Process P2 EvaluationProject/Process P2 Evaluation
Require all engineering projects be reviewed by environmental staff to
identify potential environmental impacts from mercury. Practice pollution prevention: a) know
where Hg is found; b) use mercury-free alternatives; c) properly recover and recycle elemental mercury and mercury-containing products
Industrial ChampionIndustrial Champion
Textile Company, largest Hg contributor to WWTP
Better cleaning of sampling equipment Review/Substitution of Hg containing
products/chemicals Treatment basin cleaning Pollution Prevention audit Implemented Ultra-Clean Sampling
techniques
Municipal Reduction StrategyMunicipal Reduction Strategy
Identify Sources Dye Houses Dental offices Hospitals and other
medical facilities Industries that use
large volumes of caustic soda or acids
Laboratories, clinics Painting operations
Reduce Impacts Prioritize mercury
sources Work with customers;
industry groups Present monitoring
data & success stories
Provide technical assist. & pollution prevention (P2)
Public education programs
Institutional ChampionInstitutional Champion
Duke Hospital: 2005 elimination goalGenerated from spills & releases
from broken or discarded productsMercury thermometer replacement:
almost 700 from 44 labs and patient clinics, 90% participation
Mercury spills decreased 37%
Town of TryonTown of Tryon
Problem Hg Limit, 30 ppt,
repeated exceedances
Lawsuit by American Canoe Assoc., paid $68,000 in fines
DWQ SOC
Solution Inventoried Hg
sources, textile mfg. major source
Implemented BMPs Dental office
improvements WWTP upgrades Community
Outreach
Silver Star Silver Star Mercury Reduction PledgeMercury Reduction Pledge
Discontinue purchase and sale of mercury-containing equipment where equivalent, non-hazardous alternatives are available
Replace existing mercury devices with non-hazardous ones whenever possible
Properly manage mercury-containing wastes by collecting them for proper disposal - preferably recycling - and avoiding incineration
Educating employees about sources of mercury and proper mercury management techniques
Tryon Mercury Collection DayTryon Mercury Collection Day
Community Mercury Collection Day: 175 lbs of mercury (thermometers, bulbs, dental filters & piping, thermostats, & 4 small containers of liquid mercury)
Public Awareness Campaign Local paper: 7 articles on mercury, health
effects, sources, NC levels, etc. Silver Star Mercury Reduction
Pledge for businesses
Tryon’s SuccessTryon’s Success
Pretreatment Coordinator, “Tryon has not had a single problem with its mercury limit”
Tryon meeting Hg limitDWQ removed Hg limit from wastewater
permitACA’s consent suit removed
City of GastoniaCity of GastoniaMunicipal Mercury Municipal Mercury
Collection DayCollection DayLocal newspaper & radio adsFliers posted around townBrochures sent home with
schoolchildren 894 mercury-containing items
collectedPermanent collection program
Did You Know?Did You Know?
Wet scrubbers can contribute to elevated mercury concentrations if not pretreated prior to discharge. Average mercury concentrations have measured 200 ppb in untreated scrubber effluent, 20 ppb after treatment.
Typical fever thermometers contain 0.5 gm Hg which can contaminate 11 million gallons of water.
Deposition of 1/25th of a teaspoon of mercury per year is sufficient to contaminate a 60-acre lake to the point that the fish are not safe to eat.
The states with the worst mercury "hot spots" are Indiana, Michigan, Maryland, Florida, Illinois, South Carolina, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas and Tennessee.
Everyone can Help to Reduce Everyone can Help to Reduce Mercury in the Environment!Mercury in the Environment!
Use less energy Identify Hg sources and implement alternatives Reduce & recycle mercury containing products Educate yourself and others and involve
decision makers. Contact DPPEA for assistance, www.p2pays.org, 1-800-763-0136