Committee Puts Toxic Mercury Polluters On Notice

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http://schakowsky.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2642:committee-puts-toxic-mercury-polluters-on-notice&catid=2:press-releases&Itemid=16


In a major step toward improving public health and curbing the severe risks of toxic Mercury pollution, Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-IL, passed legislation today through the Energy & Commerce Committee that forbids the use of mercury-cell technology in the production of chlorine within 5 years of enactment.

“Mercury is an extremely dangerous neurotoxin that poses severe risks to public safety. After polluting waterways, the toxin is consumed by fish and later humans. The poison can harm fetuses and grown adults alike – no one is immune,” said Rep. Schakowsky. “Once mercury builds up in the body, it can cause a variety of health problems that can be both subtle – such as numbness in fingers – and quite serious – such as an increased risk of heart disease and neurological disorders. We have taken a major step today to protect the public from the harmful toxin and made it clear to mercury polluting companies that they will have to change their ways.”

The Mercury Pollution Reduction Act, H.R. 2190, passed the committee markup ## to ##. The legislation prohibits four plants from exporting mercury immediately upon enactment but does not force the plants to close, just convert to existing cleaner production method. Since 1974, more than 116 plants have shifted to Mercury-free technology. Aside from enjoying the clear conscience the transition provides, plants that shifted to membrane-cell technology generally have achieved increases in energy efficiency of 25 to 37 percent per ton of chlorine produced.

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The four remaining plants in the United States are: Olin’s facility in Charleston, Tennessee; Olin’s Facility in Augusta, Georgia; ASHTA’s facility in Ashtabula, Ohio; and PPG’s facility in Natnum, West Virginia.

Unlike coal-fired power plants in which Mercury emissions can only be reduced, technology can completely eliminate mercury pollution from chlor-alkali production. Thus, the release of tons of mercury to the environment reported by these companies, not to mention the many more tons “lost” by mercury cell chlorine plants, is entirely unnecessary.

“The greatest concern about mercury surrounds its effects on the early development of the fetus and on later childhood development,” said Rep. Schakowsky. “Through no fault of their own, but rather the selfishness of these companies, children born after being exposed to the toxin will likely fight learning disabilities their entire life.”
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and there you have it - one of the reasons our children are dumbed down.

" children born after being exposed to the toxin will likely fight learning disabilities their entire life.”

thank you, thank you Jan Schakowsky for caring.

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1. kicking back to pg. 1 because this is good news for our kids

nt