Mercury (element)

Precautions and Regulation

Mercury should be handled with great care. Containers of mercury need to be covered securely to avoid spillage and evaporation. Heating of mercury or mercury compounds should always be done under a well-ventilated, filtered hood. Additionally, some oxides can decompose into elemental mercury, which immediately evaporates and may not be apparent.

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Due to the health effects of mercury exposure, industrial and commercial uses are broadly regulated in Western countries. The World Health Organization, OSHA, and NIOSH, all agree that mercury is an occupational hazard and have established specific occupational exposure limits. Environmental releases and disposal of mercury is regulated in the U.S. primarily by the EPA.

Related Topics:
World Health Organization - OSHA - NIOSH - EPA

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In recent years, governments have issued warnings that certain fish in excess quantities are unsafe due to methylmercury levels (death has been known to occur from mercury contaminated fish). Such warnings especially target pregnant women.

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The Clean Air Act, passed in 1990, put mercury on a list of toxic pollutants which need to be controlled to the greatest possible extent. Thus, certain industries that emit mercury into the environment must install maximum achievable control technologies (MACT). However, a March 2005 EPA rulehttp://www.epa.gov/air/mercuryrule/ took power plants off the list of sources which must reduce mercury to the maximum extent. Instead, a cap and trade rule was issued, with most of the reductions in mercury pollution from power plants beginning in the year 2018. That rule is thought to be illegal and is being challenged by at least 13 states in court.

Related Topics:
Clean Air Act - Cap and trade

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Mercury transport by aircraft is restricted, due to mercury's ability to rapidly "rust" aluminium, a primary structural component in most modern passenger aircraft.

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