Curbs on mercury only dent global threat -experts

Mercury built into older-model U.S. vehicles will be removed before they are melted down for scrap under an agreement announced on Friday, putting a small dent in a worsening global environmental threat.

Droplets of airborne mercury emitted by coal-burning plants, waste incinerators and from small-stakes gold mining operations circle the Earth for up to a year before descending in rainfall, contaminating waterways and converting to a toxic form that is dangerous to humans and wildlife.

"Mercury is a global pollutant that affects populations without regard to where they live," said James Hurley, director of an international conference on mercury pollution held this week at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

The agreement between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the industry that dismantles, shreds, and melts down the hulks of old vehicles requires the removal of mercury-laden switches found in the trunks and hoods of vehicles made prior to 2003.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N11301820.htm

so much worse than anyone can imagine. It has become so wide-spread that I doubt all of it, or even a small percentage, could ever be cleaned up.

It has always puzzled me as to why the gov. tests kids for lead, but not mercury levels. Mercury is a deadly neuro-toxin and the long-term effects of chronic low-level exposure can be devastating years down the road. And no one the wiser as to how they became ill.