The household sector was included in this study to illustrate how the average residential household contributes to the use and release of mercury to the environment. The household sector includes thermostats, switches, gasoline combustion and others which were also evaluated in other source sector estimates. The idea is to provide a sense of how our daily activities, as well as devices and products in our homes, contribute to the overall picture of mercury release and use.

Tables are provided for both releases and presence/use of mercury in households.

The following types of releases from households are included in the estimate of mercury releases from households:

• batteries
• coal combustion to produce electricity
• fluorescent lamps
• gasoline combustion in motor vehicles
• heating oil combustion
• appliance switches
• automotive switches
• thermostats
• volatilization from dental amalgams
• wastewater discharged to sewers

Mercury releases from households are summarized in Table 5 and Figure 6.

The following occurrences or uses of mercury are included in the estimate of presence/use of mercury in households:

• automobile switches
• batteries
• chest freezers
• dental amalgams
• fluorescent lamps
• gas-pilot ranges
• light switches
• thermometers
• thermostats
• washing machines

Mercury presence/use in households is summarized in Table 6 and Figure 7.

This Page created March 11, 1998
Revised: May 07, 2002
Maintained by Pranas Pranckevicius, USEPA - GLNPO
URL: http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/bns/milwaukeehg/chapter5.html