State May Ban Mercury Thermometers

The state of Illinois could be the next Midwest state to ban the sale of thermometers containing mercury. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Bill Wheelhouse reports:

Transcript

The state of Illinois could be the next Midwest state to ban the sale of thermometers containing mercury. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Bill Wheelhouse reports:

A measure moving through the Illinois legislature would prohibit the sale or manufacture of mercury fever thermometers in Illinois. Supporters say it’s a public safety issue… because the mercury can end up in the waste stream. Chicago democratic representative Dan Burke is the sponsor:

“We’re just talking about eliminating this particular cause of poison in our environment… So that in a small way just prohibiting the sale would be the beginning piece in eliminating it altogether.”

If approved… Illinois would be following the lead of cities such as

Ann Arbor and Chicago. It would join the states of Indiana, Minnesota, and New York, which already have laws limiting the sale of thermometers containing the toxic element. A number of similar proposals are being discussed across the country. For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Bill Wheelhouse.