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MERCURY
& THE ENVIRONMENT
Somewhat less than a third of the mercury
in the environment is naturally occurring.
The majority is released through preventable
human pollution. It enters the atmosphere,
lakes and streams from coal burning
for power generation, from industrial
and medical sources and by improper
disposal of household products that
contain mercury.
Improper mercury disposal includes:
pouring it down drains, putting it in
the trash, and burning it in barrels
and incinerators. These improper disposal
methods can elevate mercury contamination
to harmful levels.
When mercury seeps into lakes and waterways,
it undergoes a natural chemical process
and is converted to a more deadly form
- methyl mercury. It then contaminates
the food chain by building up in the
tissue of fish and animals, including
those we eat. |
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