Emissions of toxic mercury would have to be slashed to ease New Jersey’s health advisories on eating fish, according to a new draft state Mercury Reduction Action Plan.
New Jersey has been warning people about mercury in fish since 1982, the plan says.
New Jersey contributes only 12.5 percent of the mercury that falls from the sky in the state, the plan says.
Of the remaining emissions, 52 percent come from “background” natural and manmade sources. The rest come from neighboring states, Mexico and Canada, according to the plan.
“Mercury reductions on the national and global scales are necessary” to meet targets for limiting mercury, the plan says.
Mercury is a persistent toxin that is converted to methylmercury, a more toxic form of the metal, in lakes and waterways, according to the plan.
Methylmercury builds up in fish and animals and increases in concentration as it moves up the food chain, resulting in high mercury levels in some foods, the plan says.
Mercury can damage the brain, central nervous system and kidneys and is especially harmful to children, fetuses and infants. It is used in a wide variety of household products, is found naturally in some forms of coal, can be discharged into waterways and is emitted into the air through a variety of industrial processes, according to the plan.
A 2001 Mercury Task Force report established two targets: A 75 percent reduction in mercury from air emissions below estimated 1990 levels by 2006 and an 85 percent reduction by 2011, the plan says.
A 67 percent reduction was achieved by 2006, based on available data, according to the plan.
The plan lists actions needed to further reduce mercury emissions and meet the 85 percent goal by 2011.
The state Department of Environmental Protection has more information on mercury research on its Web site.
File photo by Heather Wines, Gannett News Service