Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
and the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian
Premiers Mercury Action Plan (NEG-ECP MAP), among
others. The QSC, a multistate national group and the NEG-
ECP MAP, a regional binational state and provincial mer-
cury pollution reduction plan are discussed in more detail
below.
to meet mandated clean water goals established under the
U.S. Clean Water Act, the states have also provided tech-
nical and policy input to the UNEP mercury program.
In 2001, the UNEP Governing Council initiated a global
evaluation of mercury pollution and impacts. Based on this
assessment the UNEP Governing Council concluded “that
there is suffi cient evidence of signifi cant global adverse
impacts from mercury to warrant further international
action to reduce the risks to humans and wildlife from
the release of mercury to the environment” and called for
immediate actions to address the issue (UNEP, 2003). In
February 2009, the Governing Council of UNEP agreed to
work toward a global legally binding agreement addressing
mercury. Although mandatory requirements have yet to
be established through the UNEP process, negotiations are
now underway (UNEP, 2009).
Within the context of international mercury-reduction
efforts, the United States and several other countries ini-
tially supported an implementation program relying on
voluntary initiatives, arguing that this mechanism would
result in faster progress than would be achieved through
a negotiated binding agreement. A number of voluntary
partnerships were established under this effort, with staff
and monetary support from the United States and other
countries. Throughout this process, the QSC supported
efforts to advance global reductions in mercury pollution
and consistently advocated for the initial partnerships to
be strengthened by the inclusion of objective mercury-
reduction goals, timelines, and detailed work plans, which
in many cases were ultimately included. The QSC also
advocated for the United States to support development of
a binding global agreement. The United States is currently
a leading advocate of this approach, and the states, through
the QSC, continue to provide technical and policy input to
the EPA and the State Department to help inform and sup-
port U.S. negotiating positions.
To facilitate the partnership efforts and help expand
international capacity to reduce mercury pollution the
QSC, with EPA support, formed a resource network in 2007.
This network is comprised of state technical, policy and
program implementation experts interested in assisting
UNEP. As of the fall of 2008, participating states provided
staff time and the EPA travel expenses for state experts
to participate in three international capacity-building
workshops focused on mercury.
The Quicksilver Caucus
Overview
The QSC was formed in May 2001 by a coalition of state
environmental associations to facilitate collaboration on
mercury-related issues, share technical and policy informa-
tion, and encourage multimedia approaches to reducing
mercury pollution. The QSC also provides a mechanism
for multimedia state input on national and international
mercury-reduction programs and strategies. Caucus mem-
bers include the Environmental Council of the States, the
Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management
Offi cials, the National Association of Clean Air Agencies,
the Association of State and Interstate Water Pollution Con-
trol Administrators, the Association of State Drinking Water
Administrators, and the National Pollution Prevention
Roundtable. Many individual states have also been active
participants in the QSC.
The QSC has focused its efforts on several priority areas.
These include information sharing and capacity building
between the states, the EPA, and UNEP; pollution preven-
tion and stewardship approaches to reduce mercury in the
environment; and the safe, long-term storage of excess
commodity elemental mercury. These are briefl y discussed
below.
Information Sharing and Capacity Building between
the States, the EPA, and UNEP
To facilitate information sharing and joint planning, the
QSC has organized and held state workshops focused on
mercury, which were attended by environmental agency
leaders and their representatives. These meetings provided
opportunities for the states to share information about
various mercury reduction initiatives and identify com-
mon priorities and potential areas of collaboration. Based
on discussions at these meetings the QSC has implemented
a number of activities to facilitate state mercury-reduction
progress. The members of the QSC also hold regular confer-
ence calls and have completed several reports on issues of
concern to the states.
Since its inception, the QSC has also provided input to
the EPA on national efforts to address mercury, in particu-
lar, advocating for the EPA's adoption of a strong national
mercury action plan with specifi c implementation com-
mitments, reduction goals, and timelines.
Because of the signifi cant contribution of global sources
to mercury deposition in the states, which makes it diffi cult
Pollution Prevention and Stewardship Approaches
to Reduce Mercury in the Environment
Mercury releases attributable to the dental sector and mer-
cury-added consumer products were identifi ed by the QSC
as priorities for state action. Mercury amalgam fi lling mate-
rial contains about 50% mercury. Mercury is discharged into
dental offi ce wastewater when amalgam is placed, shaped,
and removed. Numerous mercury-added products exist that
can result in mercury releases and exposures if broken in
