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Toxic Chemicals
• Sale of mercury-containing novelties, thermometers, thermostats, manometers, and automobiles with mercury switches is prohibited.
• Schools cannot purchase, use, or possess elemental mercury.
Washington state policy requires that:
• Communities maintain voluntary collection and recycling programs for
mercury-containing products, elemental mercury, and mercury waste.
• Collected mercury must go to retort facilities.
• Funding must be provided to local governments for mercury lamp recycling.
Thermostat collection bins are funded by either the state or the county.
King County provides a rebate for recycled thermostats.
The Washington DOE has three separate MOUs with industry groups. These
MOUs target groups with an established mercury waste stream and define best management practices (BMPs) to reduce or eliminate mercury releases, as detailed next.
• The Washington DOE had an MOU with the Washington State Dental
Association (WSDA) outlining BMPs for the disposal of mercury and
merc ury-containing products from dental practices. WSDA is an association with a voluntary membership, with participation 55 percent of
Washington dentists. The MOU expired on December 2005, and it is
now required through water quality and hazardous waste regulations that
den tists i
nstall amalgam separators or document that they are not exceeding
regulatory discharge standards. The Washington DOE has an MOU with the
Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA). WSHA is an association
with a voluntary membership of hospitals in Washington and represents
over 100 medical facilities in the state. This MOU focuses on mercury and
other relevant PBTs in hospitals. The goal of this MOU is to reduce mercury
waste generated from hospitals statewide. It also specifies that the DOE and
WSHA will cosponsor training and seminars on the topic.
• The Washington DOE has an MOU with the Automotive Recyclers of
Washington (AROW) and the End-of-Life Vehicle Solutions Corporation
(ELVS), which represents auto manufacturers. AROW is a trade association
of licensed auto recyclers in Washington State, and the ELVS is a 501(c)
(4) nonprofit social welfare corporation created by the automotive industry
to promote the environmental efforts of the industry. The purpose of this
MOU is to establish a voluntary motor vehicle mercury switch removal program for end-of-life vehicles.
• Education and outreach are a large part of this program. The Washington
State Department of Health provides these services as mandated by the
2003 legislature.
Washington State also regulates mercury releases from wastewater treatment,
chloralkali plants, hazardous waste, and municipal solid waste incinerators.
Toxic Chemicals
• Sale of mercury-containing novelties, thermometers, thermostats, manometers, and automobiles with mercury switches is prohibited.
• Schools cannot purchase, use, or possess elemental mercury.
Washington state policy requires that:
• Communities maintain voluntary collection and recycling programs for
mercury-containing products, elemental mercury, and mercury waste.
• Collected mercury must go to retort facilities.
• Funding must be provided to local governments for mercury lamp recycling.
Thermostat collection bins are funded by either the state or the county.
King County provides a rebate for recycled thermostats.
The Washington DOE has three separate MOUs with industry groups. These
MOUs target groups with an established mercury waste stream and define best management practices (BMPs) to reduce or eliminate mercury releases, as detailed next.
• The Washington DOE had an MOU with the Washington State Dental
Association (WSDA) outlining BMPs for the disposal of mercury and
merc ury-containing products from dental practices. WSDA is an association with a voluntary membership, with participation 55 percent of
Washington dentists. The MOU expired on December 2005, and it is
now required through water quality and hazardous waste regulations that
den tists i
nstall amalgam separators or document that they are not exceeding
regulatory discharge standards. The Washington DOE has an MOU with the
Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA). WSHA is an association
with a voluntary membership of hospitals in Washington and represents
over 100 medical facilities in the state. This MOU focuses on mercury and
other relevant PBTs in hospitals. The goal of this MOU is to reduce mercury
waste generated from hospitals statewide. It also specifies that the DOE and
WSHA will cosponsor training and seminars on the topic.
• The Washington DOE has an MOU with the Automotive Recyclers of
Washington (AROW) and the End-of-Life Vehicle Solutions Corporation
(ELVS), which represents auto manufacturers. AROW is a trade association
of licensed auto recyclers in Washington State, and the ELVS is a 501(c)
(4) nonprofit social welfare corporation created by the automotive industry
to promote the environmental efforts of the industry. The purpose of this
MOU is to establish a voluntary motor vehicle mercury switch removal program for end-of-life vehicles.
• Education and outreach are a large part of this program. The Washington
State Department of Health provides these services as mandated by the
2003 legislature.
Washington State also regulates mercury releases from wastewater treatment,
chloralkali plants, hazardous waste, and municipal solid waste incinerators.