Fish, the nearly perfect health food for most, is likely unsafe
for most to regularly eat. According to a report, nine U.S. chlorine
factories are among the nation's largest sources of mercury,
one of the most hazardous and ubiquitous contaminants. Emissions
from these chlorine factories and power plants travel thousands
of miles in the air and drop into oceans and lakes, building up
in the tissues of animals, such as seafood products and people.
Most chlorine is produced using mercury-free technologies, however,
the nine factories discussed in the report use a process that pumps
saltwater solution through a vat of mercury to set off a chemical
reaction. These factories could be polluting as much, if not more,
mercury than the power companies are.
In fact, in 2002, chlorine factories each reported emitting an
average of 1,097 pounds of mercury into the air, five times more
than the average power plant.
"Missing" Mercury Concern
A major concern highlighted in the report centered on the "long-overlooked"
source of mercury polluting the air. It seems much of the mercury
these nine chlorine plants release into the environment each year
is largely unknown and unaccounted for in the companies' annual
inventories. While emissions from smokestacks and vents are measured
with great accuracy, fugitive emissions (unmonitored leaks from
the mercury vats) are difficult to measure.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been working with
the chlorine industry to resolve the mercury issue: It has been
suspected that the "missing mercury" is trapped inside
the plants' piping, tanks and processing equipment, rather
than being polluted into the environment.
Though regardless of where the unaccounted mercury is being emitted,
mercury pollution remains a concern in the United States:
-
One in every six babies, which is more than 600,000 a year,
is born to a mother with a mercury level over what is regarded
safe for a fetus
-
Mercury is known to interfere with brain development
-
The FDA has advised pregnant women or women who are nursing
or may become pregnant to avoid eating large marine predators
including: swordfish, shark, tilefish and king mackerel and
to not exceed more than 12 ounces of other fish per week
Indianapolis
Star January 30, 2005
| 