NEWS RELEASE
March 31, 2006
Contacts:
Donna Kemp Spangler, (801) 536-4484
Public Information Officer, DEQ
Sonja Wallace, (801) 536-4477
Pollution Prevention Coordinator, DEQ
Get the Mercury Out: Free Disposal Offered at Selected Sites
(Salt Lake City, Utah) – The Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has teamed up with Local Health Departments to offer residents at many locations throughout the state an opportunity to get rid of household products that contain mercury such as old mercury thermometers, thermostats, and old chemistry sets.
To keep mercury out of municipal landfills, throughout the month of April residents can dispose of the mercury at selected locations where white plastic 5-gallon buckets marked for hazardous waste disposal are situated. The buckets have been provided courtesy of Onyx Environmental.
“This is the time for spring cleaning,” said Sonja Wallace, pollution prevention coordinator for DEQ. “The drop off collection locations are a convenient way for residents throughout the state to get the mercury out of their homes and environment,” she added.
Mercury is a neurotoxin and, when released to the environment, can present health risks, including learning disabilities and mental problems. Children and pregnant women are particularly susceptible to mercury exposure. Never deliberately break or remove the mercury from the products but in cases of mercury spills the mercury should be carefully gathered into a double plastic bag or inside a sealed container. Never use a vacuum cleaner or broom to clean up mercury. Visit http://www.deq.utah.gov/Issues/Mercury/spills.htm for more information.
This collection service is for Utah residents only, not available to businesses. Visit one of the following locations for mercury disposal:
Wasatch Front
- Salt Lake City: Costco, 1800 South 300 West. Fourth Thursday of each month, April through September 2006, 7-10 a.m.
- Holladay City: Holladay City, 4625 South 2300 East. Third Thursday of each month, April through September 2006, 7-10 a.m.
- Sandy: Sandy Public Works, 8775 South 700 West. Second Thursday of each month, April through September 2006, 7-10 a.m.
- Farmington: Davis County Health Department Environmental Health Services Division, 99 S. Main St., Farmington, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday during April 2006. [ 801-451-3296 ]
- Layton: Wasatch Integrated Waste Management District, 650 E. Highway 193, Layton, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday year round. [ 801-614-5600 ]
- Provo: Utah County Health and Justice Building, Environmental Health Department, 151 S. University Ave. Suite 2600, Provo, from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday during April 2006.
- Ogden: Weber-Morgan Health Department Environmental Health Services Division, 477 23rd St., Ogden, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday during April 2006.
Tooele County
- Tooele: Tooele County Health Department’s Environmental Health Office, 151 N. Main St., Tooele, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday during April 2006.
Cache County
- Call Bear River Health Department for location, 435-792-6570.
Summit/Wasatch Counties
- Park City: Summit County Public Health Department, 6505 N. Landmark Drive, Park City, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday during April 2006.
- Kamas: Summit County Public Health Department, 110 N. Main St., Kamas, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday during April 2006.
- Coalville: Summit County Public Health Department, 85 N. 50 East, Coalville, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday during April 2006.
- Heber: Wasatch City/County Health Department, 55 S. 500 East, Heber City, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday during April 2006.
Northeast Unita Basin
- Vernal: TriCounty Health Department, 147 E. Main. St., Vernal, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday during April 2006. Call 435-781-5353 for other locations.
Central Utah
- Richfield: Central Utah Public Health Department, 70 Westview Drive, Richfield, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday during April 2006.
Southwest Utah
- Cedar City: Southwest Utah District Health Department, 260 East DL Sargent Drive, Cedar City, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday during April 2006.
- St. George: Southwest Utah District Health Department, 168 North 100 East, St. George, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday during April 2006.
Southeast Utah
- Call Southeastern Utah District Health Department for location, 435-637-3671.
