All CFLs contain mercury, typically about 4 mg. Some manufacturers have reduced the amount to as little as 1 mg in some types of CFLs, and more manufacturers are following suit. Today, very few household products contain any mercury. Before the 1980s you could find mercury in paint, pesticides, dental fillings and fever thermometers.
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mercury
On Dec. 16, the Obama administration is expected to finally release new standards for protecting us from mercury and other toxic heavy metals from power plant emissions. All of us have reason to be glad, but parents (and anyone who might ever want to be a parent) should especially welcome this long
Barack Obama promised change and hope. He’s bringing it when it comes to the mercury control industry.
If you haven’t heard, the new president has directed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to drop an appeal of a Bush administration mercury control plan for coal-fired power plants.
Coal, the backbone of America’s electrical grid, runs about 1,100 plants in the U.S., but also spews out about 48 tons of mercury per year. The element is a potent toxic substance that affects brain development. It settles in our rivers and lakes and most people are exposed to it by eating fish.