News release
ANDREW J. SPANO, Westchester County Executive SUSAN TOLCHIN, Director of Communications

CONTACT: SUSAN TOLCHIN (914) 995-2932

DONNA GREENE (914) 995-2935

REBECCA EDELMAN (914) 995-7667

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 10, 2003

SALE OF MERCURY BAROMETERS, THERMOSTATS AND THERMOMETERS ILLEGAL IN WESTCHESTER

Spano signs legislation that also requires proper disposal and source separation of mercury-contained products

County Executive Andy Spano today signed legislation that bans the sale of mercury barometers, thermostats and thermometers and requires that products with mercury be disposed of properly.

The law, initiated by Spano and passed by the Board of Legislators last week, is the latest in a series of measures that county has taken to rid the environment of this dangerous element. The law will go into effect Dec. 8 and will be enforced by the Department of Weights and Measures. Violators could be fined $150 for each infraction.

“Even a small amount of mercury is toxic to people and pollutes our waters,” said Spano. “This legislation is designed to reduce the chances of dangerous mercury spills and to remove mercury from our waste stream.”

He added, “Mercury spills easily and is extremely hard to clean up. Exposure causes a range of effects, including tremors, impaired vision and hearing, paralysis. It is also very dangerous to fetal growth. Our approach is twofold – to get it out of household products and to get it out of our waste stream.”

Members of the county Board of Legislators also praised the new law.

Legislator Martin Rogowsky said, “This is one of a series of important steps we have taken in Westchester to remove this toxic element from our community.”

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Mercury law signed P. 2

“Passing legislation banning the sale of mercury products benefits public health and the environment. However, our responsibility doesn’t end there,” said Legislator Michael Kaplowitz, chair of the legislature’s Committee on the Environment and Health. “Through a collaborative effort with various county departments, we will further educate the public on disposing and recycling mercury products.”

The new law does the following:

· It bans entirely the sale of barometers, thermostats and thermometers with mercury. As such, it expands on an existing county law that bans the sale of fever thermometers and the use by plumbers of certain mercury-containing meters.

· It makes it illegal for the public to put mercury-containing products in with their trash. This includes products such as mercury barometers, gauges or manometers, thermometers, thermostats or silent wall switches. These products should be disposed of at the county’s household chemical cleanup days, or at a licensed disposal site (a full list is at www.westchestergov.com/consumers). Contractors removing these products must also make sure they are disposed of properly.

“There are many alternatives to these environmentally-harmful products,” said Spano. “We can use environmentally-friendly products like digital thermometers, electronic thermostats and aneroid barometers, all of which serve the same purpose as the mercury-containing products.”

The sale of mercury fever thermometers and the use of mercury gauges or manometers, which plumbers use to pressure-test gas lines and to check for the presence of a gas leak, has been prohibited, under the county law for over a year.

Since November, the county has also required junk yards to remove mercury switches from cars before vehicles are crushed or shredded. These switches are primarily found in the light switches in the hood and trunk.

Mercury is neurotoxic and can damage the central nervous system. A recent report by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that one in 10 women of childbearing age in the United States is at risk of having a newborn with neurological problems due to in utero mercury exposure.