 |
||||
The Wisconsin Mercury SourceBook was written to help The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources implement a new "Mercury Strategy." The Mercury Strategy is an initiative by the Bureau of Watershed Management, and is an innovative approach to reduce the amount of mercury released to the environment through the use of education, technical assistance, partnership development, and voluntary municipal efforts. It represents a new way of addressing toxics that is based on the development and implementation of comprehensive community mercury reduction plans that focus on the purposeful use of mercury. This SourceBook is a compilation of the best mercury reduction work to date. It was designed as a working document to help guide communities through the process of writing comprehensive community mercury reduction plans. The SourceBook provides a seven step outline for drafting a reduction plan, and contains source identification materials for nineteen sectors of a community, including case studies, product alternatives, and action ideas for each sector. It is intended for use by anyone involved in drafting a reduction plan for mercury, including sewerage districts, community or trade associations, and government agencies. Section
One provides general background information on the element mercury, its
cycling patterns, and the environmental and health effects of its bioaccumulative
tendencies. It provides useful information to anyone involved in promoting a mercury
reduction plan or explaining why these reduction efforts are important. Section Two provides detailed steps in helping communities draft a comprehensive community mercury reduction plan. The lead for such an effort could be assumed by a sewerage district or an environmental or community group. The steps are: 1 Identify Your Mission, 2 Select a Reduction Team and Form Partnerships, 3 Develop a Baseline and Set Goals, 4 Identify Sources of Mercury in Your Community, 5 Evaluate Tools and Options, 6 Set Goals and Implement, and 7 Measure and Promote Your Success. The steps in section two are general and
will be repeated as the plans branch out from the general community reduction team to
specific sector and facility teams. Please see the charts on "The Three Levels
of a Mercury Reduction Program" for more information. Section Three consists of sector specific information. It is useful for those trying to identify sources of mercury in their community.
This document is a compilation of the
best mercury pollution prevention work available to date. We are gratefully indebted to
the numerous authors quoted within, whose innovative and groundbreaking research made this
SourceBook possible. Wisconsin Department
of Natural Resources You may also call the above number if you would like a copy of the SourceBook. The Wisconsin Mercury SourceBook was
prepared by: Technical and editing assistance was
provided by staff from May 1997 |
||||
This Page created: December 09, 1998 |
