Mercury Emissions: The Forgotten Ones?

In the context of the debate about climate change, there is often discussion about how to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere. In essence, policymakers and others in U.S. society discuss how carbon dioxide emissions are a problem from an environmental and potentially an economic standpoint and that something must be done to contain them. Yet, lawmakers, scientists, and others fail to talk about what specific policies should be enacted to control for mercury. After all, mercury contaminates the Earth's atmosphere and is just as big of a problem as carbon dioxide, yet it does not receive the same scrutiny or attention.

However, it appears more attention has been paid to the fact that mercury is problematic as a greenhouse gas just like carbon dioxide. The problem with mercury emissions is that they "can damage the developing brains of fetuses and children. In adults, excessive exposure can increase the risk of high blood pressure and heart attacks and cause other physical damage." Consequently, it is encouraging that there will be new rules on cement plants going into effect in 2013 that will "reduce their mercury emissions. The EPA says the particle pollution will be reduced by 92 percent."  Clearly, mercury emissions are a problem from both an environmental standpoint--contaminating the water and air as well as human health. The fact that the EPA is starting to increase awareness and implement rules with respect to mercury emissions is a good sign.

The cement industry, in particular, is a major source of greenhouse gases and it is interesting we often do not think about their contribution to anthropogenic climate change. It is a good sign that these new rules will ensure things like human health will not adversely deteriorate due to mercury poisoning with these new rules on cement plants. While there will be new rules implemented in 2013, the sad fact is that mercury might still be emitted in the meantime and, like a lot of particulate matter, it lingers in the atmosphere for many years.  So, while it is good news that the government has now taken a serious look at mercury at least as it pertains to cement plants, it should also start looking at how coal fired power plants emit mercury emissions.

Mercury is a harmful pollutant just like carbon dioxide. The fact that there will be new, more stringent rules governing cement processes in 2013 is encouraging. However, since the biggest source of mercury emissions is coal fired power plants, that regulation alone may not be enough to solve the mercury problem here in the U.S.  Therefore, in many ways, mercury emissions are often forgotten about by policymakers.

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