1. Consumer Products and Recycling John Rogers

2. Mercury is in the Home

3. Thermostats 46.7% Dental Amalgams 21.0% Light Switches 14.1% Auto switches 4.7% Thermometers 4.7% Appliances switches 2.4% Batteries 0.6% Fluorescent Lights 0.5% Mercury is in the Home

4. Mercury is in Schools Lamps Thermostats Laboratory store rooms in jars Chemistry classroom p-traps Laboratory thermometers Nurses offices in thermometers and Sphygmomanometers (blood pressure devices) Switches Barometers and manometers

5. Fever Thermometers Laboratory Thermometers Sphygmomanometers Gastroenterology instruments (Cantor and Miller Abbot tubes) Non-Clinical barometers, repair kits, switches. Other (thermostats, manometers, lamps) Mercury is in Hospitals

6. Thermometers Contains about ½ gram of mercury. Small portion of total mercury but often improperly disposed. Broken thermometers in red bags may be incinerated. Most common source of mercury spills Most patient and staff device contact Alternatives available

7. Sphygmomanometers Contain 70-90 grams of mercury Located in heavy use areas where there is high exposure potential Often contains the largest amount of mercury in one device Can be inaccurate without regular maintenance Alternatives readily available

8. Gastroenterology Instruments Second largest concentration FDA- 58 incidents where tubes broke and released mercury inside patients (1991 to 2000) Alternatives available. Tungsten weighted just as effective and are opaque on x-rays

9. Sphygmomanometers and gastroenterology instruments can be as high as 90% of the elemental mercury in a hospital.

10. Mercury is in Automobiles Convenience Lighting Switches ABS Sensor Instrument lights Family entertainment system Hood and trunk Navigational display (option)

11. Other Mercury Products Weather stations (amateur & professional) Laboratories Medical, Dental & Veterinary Offices Flow meters –Plumbers –Gas metering –Dairies

12. Consumer Products Safety Commission Oversees compliance with mercury labeling requirements. Issued 135 Consumer Safety Alerts Requires consumer sales of mercury to be properly labeled properly labeled. the sale of mercury for household use is not recommended by the CPSC.

14. For more information regarding mercury in consumer products and recycling please contact: John Rogers john.rogers@la.gov (225) 219-3266 (800) 305-6621