Ohio EPA 
Mercury Reduction

Ohio Law

• House Bill 443 was made law on January 4, 2007. The law has the mercury product regulations created initially in House Bill 583 and Senate Bill 323, establishing sales bans for certain mercury products.  Public and private schools through high school shall not purchase mercury, mercury compounds or mercury-measuring devices for classroom use as of April 6, 2007. Mercury thermometers and mercury-containing novelty items will not be sold in Ohio as of October 6, 2007. The sale of novelty items that have mercury cell button batteries are banned in 2011. Mercury thermostats will not be sold or installed as of April 6, 2008. There are exemptions to the sales bans. The text of the law is available at this link. A fact sheet is available here.

Ohio Projects

• Ohio’s Voluntary Mercury Switch Removal Program for Auto Recyclers
• Ohio Hospital Project
• Ohio Mercury Reduction Group
• Ohio Sport Fish Consumption Advisory

Ohio Resources

• Introduction to Mercury Issues
  (PowerPoint Presentation)
  
  This on-line training provides an introduction to mercury issues for the general public and businesses. It is meant to provide an introduction to the various forms of mercury and their health effects, identify where mercury is found, identify steps to take to reduce mercury use and provide some basic resources to further explore mercury issues.
   
• Developing a Community Mercury Reduction Program Acrobat PDF 451 K
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• Mercury Awareness for School Teachers Acrobat PDF 139 K
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• Guide to Mercury Issues for School Administrators Acrobat PDF 1.3 M
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• Mercury Educational Video
  Ohio EPA's 8 minute video provides an introduction to mercury and mercury spills, and using special lighting allows you to see mercury's normally invisible vapors. The video is a great tool for school administrators, science teachers and other community health officials. If interested in receiving a copy of the video, please contact the Office of Compliance Assistance and Pollution Prevention.
   
• Household Mercury Fact Sheet Acrobat PDF 225 K
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• Mercury in consumer goods and the wastestream by the Ohio DNR
   
• Managing Mercury Switches: Information for Auto Recyclers
  Ohio EPA, Small Business Assistance Office, March 2003.
   
• Household items that may contain mercury by the Ohio DNR
   
• Raising Awareness about Mercury Manometers Acrobat PDF 96 K
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• The Mercury Challenge Handbook 
  "The Opportunity to Become a Mercury-Free Facility" Acrobat PDF 102K
  by the Ohio Hospital Association and Ohio EPA, Office of Compliance Assistance and Pollution Prevention 
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• Division of Air Pollution Control White Paper: Mercury Contamination from Metal Scrap Processing Facilities

page last updated: February 27, 2007