[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 287 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

103d CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 287

  To express the sense of the Senate regarding regulation of mercury 
                hazardous waste, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

           November 30 (legislative day, September 12), 1994

Mr. Wellstone (for himself, Mr. Leahy, and Mr. Jeffords) submitted the 
     following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                      Environment and Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  To express the sense of the Senate regarding regulation of mercury 
                hazardous waste, and for other purposes.

Whereas there has been a 2- to 3-fold global increase in mercury in the 
        environment since the 1850's, increases of 3.4 times have been found in 
        wilderness areas of the United States, and much higher increases have 
        been found in developed areas of the United States;
Whereas mercury is truly a national and international concern because mercury is 
        atmospherically transported indiscriminately across political 
        boundaries;
Whereas mercury poses a serious and growing public health and environmental 
        problem even when released in minute quantities;
Whereas mercury presents particular problems in aquatic systems where mercury 
        bioaccumulates;
Whereas human consumption advisories have been issued in at least 34 States 
        because of the high levels of mercury contamination in fish, resulting 
        in losses to the tourism and fishing industries and related activities;
Whereas atmospheric deposition resulting from human activities, including waste 
        disposal, contributes most of the mercury loading to the environment;
Whereas numerous studies have indicated that mercury-containing lamps will soon 
        become the largest contributor of mercury to municipal waste streams in 
        the United States;
Whereas the United States, through the Environmental Protection Agency, is 
        working cooperatively within the international community to reduce 
        global risks of mercury in the environment;
Whereas the Environmental Protection Agency is already actively supporting 
        efforts to virtually eliminate releases of mercury in the Great Lakes 
        Region; and
Whereas the waste management priorities of the United States encourage recycling 
        before waste disposal: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that the Environmental 
Protection Agency should not exempt mercury hazardous wastes from 
hazardous waste regulation but instead should adopt waste management 
policies and rules that seek to minimize all releases of mercury into 
the environment while encouraging the recycling of mercury-containing 
fluorescent lamps and other mercury-containing devices.
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