| PORTSMOUTH, N.H. New England governors have set a goal to virtually eliminate mercury pollution, but some environmental groups say that's not good enough. A report from a consortium of government agencies in the Northeast says states have not addressed several substantial sources of mercury pollution, including mercury that gets into the environment after being tossed in the trash. Doug Bogen, the New Hampshire program director for Clean Water Action, says the report shows that municipal waste incinerators are responsible for more than 20 percent of the region's mercury air emissions. He says when products such as thermometers and thermostats are thrown in the trash, they often are incinerated, releasing mercury to the air and water. The report by Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management concludes that states must focus on reducing mercury in the waste stream by phasing out the use of mercury in products and collecting mercury items before they reach incinerators. |
Source: ASSOCIATED PRESS |
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