In 2004, all sixteen member hospitals signed onto the voluntary initiative to reduce mercury at their facilities. Our members participated because the reduction of mercury releases to the environment is a significant public health goal. We worked to demonstrate that the hospital community in Vermont has the power to strengthen its own environmental performance without the need for further regulations.

A great deal of attention has been focused on the national agreement between the USEPA and the American Hospital Association, the continuing warnings issued by the Vermont Department of Health about fish consumption due to mercury contamination, and the enormous success of the public mercury fever thermometer exchange in Vermont. Vermont hospitals continue to take the initiative and complete efforts to safeguard Vermont’s environment and public by completing our efforts to reduce the use of mercury in our facilities.

Hospitals have :

• Audited their facilities to identify all sources of mercury still in use (SEE SURVEY)
• Developed mercury elimination plans that will guide them in finding alternatives for all uses of mercury still present in their facilities (SEE EXAMPLE)
• Participated in educational forums organized by VAHHS
• Took active steps to document the elimination of mercury at each facility

To further address the issue of exposure to mercury, the General Assembly passed legislation this year that establishes a comprehensive approach to reducing the exposure of citizens to mercury released in the environment through mercury-added product use and disposal. It bans the distribution or offering for sale of mercury-added novelties, fever thermometers, thermostats, and dairy manometers after a certain date and to restrict the use of elemental mercury. It modifies the existing labeling requirements for mercury-added products and packaging by expanding the types of products subject to labeling, including formulated mercury-added chemical products. It requires dental offices to follow mercury waste management practices as established by the agency and to install dental amalgam separators on the wastewater discharge by a certain date if mercury-added dental amalgam is used in or removed from patients. 

The law requires hospitals to submit a mercury reduction plan to the agency every three years and exempts hospitals that achieve 95 percent reduction in mercury-added product use.  It continues a mercury public education and outreach program in the agency of natural resources and the department of health.  It continues an advisory committee on mercury pollution to report annually to the legislature with recommendations on reducing mercury contamination and risk.   A hospital representative will be added to the committee.