HomeMy WebLinkAboutmercury_business_brochureMercury
Pollutant
Minimization
Program
(PMP)
FOR MORE INFORMATION,
PLEASE CONTACT:
JASON ELLIS
PRETREATMENT COORDINATOR
PHONE: 920.232.5374
FAX: 920.232.5366
EMAIL: jellis@ci.oshkosh.wi.us
What Can You Do?
It is the intention of the Mercury
Pollutant Minimization Program to
encourage implementation of the
following Best Management
Practices (BMPs):
Establish a mercury policy
statement that includes the
reduction or virtual elimination of
mercury.
Develop a plan to phase-out
mercury-containing devices.
Implement a chemical manage-
ment program that includes
pre-purchase review and
approval.
Establish protocols for safe han-
dling, mercury spill cleanup
p r o c e d u r e s , d i s p o s a l
procedures, and education and
training of employees about
these protocols.
BMPs (Cont.)
Inventory and label mercury-
containing devices to recy-
cle at the end of their life.
Implement a program to
recycle fluorescent lamps.
Request certificates of
analysis for bulk chemicals
with potential mercury
contamination.
Reduce the use of mercury-
containing chemicals.
Plan for non-mercury prod-
uct substitution.
Introduction
Mercury is a naturally occur-
ring element that is found in
air, water, and soil. It exists in
many forms including ele-
mental (Hg) or metallic mer-
cury, organic, and inorganic
compounds.
Traditional products contain-
ing mercury include:
Thermometers
Switches
Light bulbs
The use of mercury has been
reduced or eliminated in many
new products because of the
findings that mercury is highly
toxic in both liquid and gase-
ous forms.
Why is the City
Concerned About
Mercury?
The City of Oshkosh’s
Wastewater Treatment Plant is
required by the Wisconsin De-
partment of Natural Resources
(DNR) to meet discharge limits
for a number of parameters,
including mercury. The current
discharge limit is 3.6 ng/L. That’s
3.6 parts per trillion!
1 drop 6 Olympic-
size pools
Knowing Your Role
In addition to the numerical
discharge limit, the City is
required to implement and
maintain a mercury Pollutant
Minimization Program (PMP) to
inventory and educate com-
mercial/industrial sectors known
to likely use various forms of
mercury. These sectors include:
dental offices which place
or remove amalgam
schools
hospitals/veterinary clinics
i n d u s tr i e s w i th i n th e
Pretreatment program
These sectors are being
expanded to include:
HVAC contractors
salvage yards
c o m m e r c i a l / i n d u s t r i a l
entities not monitored by the
Pretreatment Program