NRDC joins partners in calling for new mercury rule from EPA

The National Resources Defense Council on Thursday called for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to look into the amounts and uses of mercury in the United States in a bid to reduce its presence in products and industrial processes.

In a petition filed with the agency, NRDC calls for all mercury production, imports and uses in the U.S. to be cataloged in an inventory. The petition was supported by the states of Minnesota and Washington as well as the Northeast Waste Management Officials’ Association.

“The creation of this national inventory is overdue and would greatly facilitate compliance with the international Minamata Convention on Mercury the U.S. joined 19 months ago,” NRDC Health Program Senior Attorney David Lennett said. “Such information is also critical to achieving further mercury reductions and protecting the health of the American people.”

Mercury is a powerful neurotoxin, but has been reported to be used in the manufacturing of items such as children’s toys, and switches and relays used in many electrical products. The petition calls for a regulation on requiring companies to report their mercury-related activities every three years.