The Mad as a Hatter? Campaign for a Mercury-Free NIH Edwar

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The Mad as a Hatter?Campaign for a Mercury-Free
NIH

• Edward H. Rau
• Environmental Protection Branch
• Division of Safety, Office of Research Services
• National Institutes of Health
• Bethesda, MD 20892-5746
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

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Introduction to the National Institutes of Health
(NIH)

• The primary biomedical research agency of the
  Federal government.
• Campus at Bethesda, Maryland is the largest
  biomedical research facility in the world and
  includes
• Clinical Center, a 350 bed research hospital,
• 4,500 laboratories
• 20,000 employees
• Fully permitted (MDE/EPA) and licensed (NRC)
  treatment, storage and disposal facility for
  hazardous, low level radioactive and mixed waste
  on-site

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The NIH Mercury Reduction Program
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Historical BackgroundCase Histories Illustrate
Risk to Laboratory Workers and Spark Interest

• 1692. Sir Isaac Newton was an alchemist and
  conducted many experiments with mercury. In this
  year it is said that he went mad and left his
  research. Forensic studies strongly suggest that
  his symptoms and later death were caused by
  mercury poisoning.
• 1860s. Two fatal cases of poisoning associated
  with dimethyl mercury. No autopsy findings
  described.

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• 1974. Fatality following laboratory exposures to
  methyl mercury - confirmed by autopsy findings.
• 1997. A Dartmouth College scientist whose
  specialty was the toxicology of heavy metals dies
  of mercury poisoning. This resulted from an
  exposure to a single drop of methyl mercury
  penetrating her rubber gloves.

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Campaign Background

• In 1996 the NIH Clinical Center began an
  initiative to eliminate all unnecessary uses of
  mercury in medical devices and laboratory
  chemicals.
• In 2001 the Mad as a Hatter? campaign extended
  the program to all NIH facilities in the U.S.
• It now covers all uses of mercury including
  non-medical applications ranging from
  laboratories to electrical equipment.

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Voluntary Campaign Goals

• Eliminate unnecessary uses of mercury and
  mercury-containing products at NIH facilities.
• Use the mercury reduction campaign to increase
  awareness of all employees in their role in
  pollution prevention
• Community outreach via informed employees at
  health fairs etc. homes, schools etc. with
• A mercury safety message focused on children
  (Hatters Helpers).

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Why the Focus on Mercury P2?

• High Toxicity Via Multiple Routes
• Potential for Exposure Employees, Patients,
  Public
• Numerous Sources and Uses in Health Care, Labs
• Spill Prevention
• Liability and Disposal Cost Avoidance
• Growing Environmental Health Hazards
• Regional Pollution Prevention Priority
• P2 Feasibility - Alternatives Are Available

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Numerous Sources and Uses (See Website Listings)

• Intentional
• Thermometers
• Sphygmomanometers
• Thermostats
• Dental amalgams
• Medical devices
• Lab chemicals
• Preservatives
• Batteries, fluorescent lamps

• Unintended Contaminant
• (Not on MSDS)
• Bleach
• Soaps detergents
• Water treatment chemicals
• sodium hydroxide
• sulfuric acid

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Major Source -Laboratory ThermometersEach
Contains Several Grams of Mercury
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Spill PreventionA Most Important Driver

• Mercury spills were the most frequent Hazardous
  Material (HAZMAT) emergency response incident at
  NIH facilities.
• Spills were causing significant downtime,
  difficult to clean-up and required specialized
  equipment and expertise.
• Disposal of contaminated debris from spills was
  expensive.

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Environmental Health Hazards-A Growing Global
Concern-

• Mercury is highly persistent, bioaccumulative and
  toxic (PBT) in the environment.
• 1 cause of fish consumption advisories over
  2,000 bodies of water in 42 states affected.
• Increasing body burdens CDC study.
• 60,000 children at risk via fetal exposure - NAS
• Potential adverse effects on birth outcomes-
• Learning disabilities
• May be associated with increasing incidence of
  autism
• Other neurological impairments

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Liability and Disposal Cost Avoidance

• Certain mercury waste streams carry high
  regulatory liability - may not be treatable or
  have no commercial outlets
• Mercury-contaminated lab solvents
• Low level radioactive waste contaminated with
  mercury
• High liability associated with exposures,
  diversion, theft, environmental releases

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Tightening Discharge Limits-Proactive Response-

• Discharge limits in wastewater and medical waste
  incinerator emissions are likely to drop by
  orders of magnitude
• POTWs faced with ppb or ppt limits are beginning
  to impose similar limits on facility discharges
  at the source.
• Compliance will be very difficult and costly
• Refer to MASCO study

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Campaign Methods

• Increase employee awareness of the uses of
  mercury its hazards, alternatives and proper
  disposal methods through a multi-media
  information campaign.
• Provide incentives for voluntary participation in
  the campaign.
• Enlist informed employees to help with community
  and school outreach programs.

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Methods(Continued)

• Partner with similar efforts by other agencies,
  non-governmental organizations and the private
  sector.
• Reduce availability and procurement of mercury
  containing items by changing NIH Supply Catalog,
  and engineering specifications.

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A Web-Based Campaign

• The Campaign website is the backbone of the
  program, serving as a
• Cost effective method to disseminate information
  to a very large audience at all NIH facilities,
  other biomedical facilities and the public
• Mechanism to rapidly collect and acknowledge
  volunteer pledges, mail out awards, publicize
  events
• Library of reference information and links to
  related programs and partners

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A Wide Range of Other Publicity Approaches is Used

• NIH publications
• National and local press releases
• Presentations at special events - Earth Days,
  Bring-Your-Child-to-Work-Day, Health Fairs,
  Research Festivals etc.
• E-mail notices to employees
• T-shirts, buttons, flyers, displays
• Thermometer exchanges
• Employee pledge program Hatters Pledge

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The NIH Hatters Pledge(On-line)

• Encourages voluntary participation by individuals
  in labs, clinics other work areas
• Participants pledge to survey their work area for
  items containing mercury, to replace these with
  mercury-free alternatives, and dispose of mercury
  properly.
• Pledges can also volunteer for school programs
  etc.
• Incentives - certificates, lab door stickers,
  prizes and other recognition

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Campaign Results- Phase I

• Over 1,500 mercury containing devices in the
  Clinical Center were replaced with non-mercury
  alternatives -----without a single spill or
  interruption in patient care.
• Spill responses and costs associated with their
  clean up have been virtually eliminated.
• The Clinical Center is a now considered a
  mercury-free facility.
• The program received the Mercury in Flight
  award from Health Care Without Harm, an
  international coalition of over 300 health care
  organizations.

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Campaign Results- Phase IIEarth Day 2001 to Date

• All NIH facilities in the U.S. are now
  participating
• Campaign extended to all functional areas labs,
  shops, construction activities
• Campaign website established by Division of
  Safety continues to receive significant use
• Thousands of additional mercury thermometers and
  devices have been recycled and replaced -- in
  drum lots
• 2000 employees have submitted Hatters Pledges

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Phase II Results(Outreach Activities)

• Numerous presentations, community and school
  outreach activities completed.
• Several thousand children attended campaign
  events and displays.
• Partnership established with Maryland Department
  of the Environment for statewide elimination
  project in schools in progress
• Non-NIH Federal facilities, and others joining or
  partnering with the Campaign

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Phase II Results(Continued)

• 2002 - NIH receives Significant Achievement
  Award for a Government Facility from Businesses
  for the Bay, a regional pollution prevention
  organization.
• 2003 State recognition received The
  Institutes campaign to eliminate the use of
  mercury sets a high standard for environmental
  outreach and education.
• --Paris N. Glendening, Governor of Maryland

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Future Campaign Emphasis

• Encourage E-Cycling - Mercury in electronics
• Eliminate the Legacy Continue development and
  testing of mercury decontamination protocols for
  decommissioning of laboratories and clinical
  facilities.
• Prevention Advance Mercury Free as a
  criterion for sustainable designs in new facility
  construction and operation.

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Conclusions

• While still in progress, the mercury reduction
  campaign at the NIH has already exceeded most of
  its goals.
• The success of this effort confirms that
  voluntary campaigns focused on specific chemicals
  can significantly reduce the potential for
  pollution from biomedical laboratory facilities.

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• Additional campaign benefits include
• Significant reductions in potential exposure
  hazards to employees and patients
• High costs and liabilities associated with spills
  have been greatly reduced
• Very positive community relations.

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Join our Efforts!

• Visit, use, copy and contribute to our web site
• http//www.nih.gov/od/ors/ds/nomercury/
• Go on a virtual tour
• http//www.epa.gov/seahome/mercury/src/outmerc.htm
  
• Take some samples
• Promotional materials, mercury free thermometers
• Educational flyers for labs, kids and parents
• Pledge and partner with us

• Take a virtual tour

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For New RecruitsHatters Campaign Advice

• Rely on the Web The only way to reach large
  audiences in an economical manner.
• Dont Assume That audiences of any educational
  level know that mercury is toxic that teachers
  know what mercury is or that kids ever heard of
  Alice in Wonderland.
• HgP2 Does Pay Remind the budget office that the
  cost of cleaning up a single spill may be less
  than the total costs of running your entire
  campaign for a year.

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AND MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL
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Make it Fun!

• Remember
• Gimmicks work
• Dress for success (Hats are particularly
  important)
• Avoid Overconfidence You are replaceable by a
  dog from Minnesota

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Clancy, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agencys
Mercury-Detecting Dog in Action