AP Features, July 10th, 2007
The use of mercury in thermometers and other measuring devices will be banned in the European Union to protect the environment and human health.
The European Parliament on Tuesday approved new rules banning the use of the highly toxic metal in fever thermometers, manometers _ devices that measure pressure _ and other non-electrical measuring devices. The legistlation has already been endorsed by the EU's 27 member states.
Safer non-mercury alternatives exist for almost all the devices covered by the ban. Special measuring devices for medical use for which a non-mercury substitute is not yet available will still be permitted, the parliament said.
Existing devices can still be used and repaired, and instruments classified as antique _ more than 50 years old _ may also still be bought and sold.
The EU's executive Commission said the ban will lead to an annual reduction of mercury emissions by 33 tons, of which 25-30 tons alone come from thermometers.
The EU is the world's biggest exporter of mercury, which is gradually being phased out by industry. EU governments agreed last month to ban mercury exports from the bloc from 2011.
Global demand for mercury is around 3,400 metric tons (3,750 U.S. tons) a year. The 15 nations that have been part of the EU the longest accounted for 440 metric tons (485 U.S. tons) of that in 2005.
The chemical is also used in small-scale gold mining and to make one of the ingredients for PVC plastic. It also forms dental amalgam for tooth fillings.
Mercury poisoning can be fatal and even small amounts can damage the nervous system. Elevated mercury levels have been linked to learning disabilities and developmental delays in children and to heart, nervous system and kidney damage in adults.
Traces of mercury are found in nearly all fish and shellfish. Released through industrial pollution, mercury accumulates in streams and oceans as a more toxic form, methylmercury. This can pass through the blood barrier and into the placenta, posing a particular risk to pregnant women and children.
