Mercury

Region 5 Solid Waste Program

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Recycling

Mercury is a toxic metal that occurs naturally in the environment. All forms of mercury are toxic to humans, and can damage the brain and nervous system. Mercury is found in common household items such as thermometers and fluorescent lamps.

What You Can Do:

Identify and understand the sources of mercury in your environment. Draft a Mercury Reduction Plan for your community. Find out how and where mercury is used in each business sector of your community. Teachers and

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students can use the Mercury guide to survey their school and homes for mercury, conduct mercury audits, and learn about the health and environmental concerns associated with mercury.
To ensure the safe disposal of mercury, businesses must follow hazardous waste regulations enforced by your state. RCRA regulations prohibit the disposal of waste lamps and light bulbs in sanitary landfills if they contain levels of heavy metals (i.e., mercury) that exceed hazardous waste limits.

For More Information:

The following links provide information on reducing and recycling mercury waste.

Mercury in Region 5

Mercury Reduction Opportunities for Households, Small Businesses, Institutions and Industry

Mercury in Schools

Thermostat Recycling Corporation

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