Water Reclamation Department

Mercury Information

What is Mercury?

Mercury, also known as quicksilver, is an element that does not break down.  It occurs naturally and is found in very small amounts in oceans, rocks, and soil.  It becomes air born when rocks break down, volcanoes erupt, and soil decomposes.  It then circulates and is redistributed throughout the environment.

Large amounts of mercury also become airborne when coal, oil, wood or natural gas is burned as fuel or when mercury containing, garbage is incinerated.  Once in the air, mercury can fall to the ground with rain and snow, landing on soil or in bodies of water, causing contamination.

Lakes and rivers are also contaminated when there is a direct discharge of mercury-laden industrial and municipal waste into these bodies of water.  Once present, mercury accumulates in the tissue of fish and other organisms and may ultimately reach the dinner table.

Although mercury is very a useful element with many unique properties and applications, it poses a very real health risk.  We can minimize this risk by reducing our use of mercury-containing products and properly disposing of mercury-containing wastes.

Mercury In Your Home (pdf)

The Hidden Dangers of Household Mercury (pdf)

Mercury from Industrial Sources

The Solon Water Reclamation Department is presently in the process of evaluating industrial mercury contributors to the sanitary sewer system.  Industries identified as mercury contributors will be issued an Industrial Discharge Permit to reduce and/or eliminate mercury to acceptable levels.  Permits may require the installation of mercury removal equipment or the development of Best Management Practices (BMP).

If you would like more information or would like to report a potential source of mercury,  please contact Ronald DiBacco at 1-440-337-1513.

Delta Institute

The Delta Institute is a laboratory for new ideas to improve environmental quality and promote community and economic development. As a nonprofit organization, the Delta Institute works primarily on projects in the Great Lakes region, where recovery from more than a century of industrialization and its consequences presents special challenges.  In collaboration with community partners, environmental organizations, government and business, the Delta Institute explores new approaches to the policy and practice of environmental stewardship and sustainable development.

In an effort to reduce mercury and move toward virtual elimination from sources in two watersheds located within the Lake Erie basin, the Delta Institute is providing assistance to two sewage treatment plants to develop and implement mercury reduction plans.  This effort is funded through the United States Environmental Protection Agency. For more information see: www.delta-institute.org

Solon Mercury Reclamation Partnership

As part of the Solon Department of Water Reclamation’s ongoing efforts to reduce the amount the amount of mercury entering the wastewater treatment plant, we have created a Mercury Reclamation Partnership. The Partnership will bring a variety of people and organizations together in an effort to raise awareness about mercury in our community and assist Solon’s mercury reclamation efforts.

In order to meet stricter regulations, we will focus on all significant sources of mercury, not only those that discharge directly to the sewer system. This emphasis on mercury stems from its status as a pollutant of concern for Lake Erie and its tributary streams and as a health threat to people.

In response to mercury-related concerns, we are working with the Delta Institute, a non-profit environmental group that promotes sustainable development and environmental stewardship in the Great Lakes region. This collaboration is funded by a grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

The success of similar projects in other parts of the country has relied heavily on public participation. Assembling a group of stakeholders who can reach different parts of the community is an essential aspect of this public involvement. The Solon Department of Water Reclamation has invited representatives of local industry and businesses; the school district; physicians, hospitals, and public health officials; hazardous waste contractors and public works officials; neighborhood and environmental groups; as well as representatives of the Ohio EPA to participate in this Mercury Reclamation Partnership.

The group will meet approximately five times over a one-year period, with the first meeting scheduled for Wednesday, January 29, at 7:00 p.m. in the City of Solon Council Chambers. This initial meeting will include a presentation on “Why Mercury is Important,” which will help to increase everyone’s understanding of this issue.

Throughout the course of these meetings, each member of the Mercury Reclamation Partnership will be asked to:

-Share ideas about the best way to prevent mercury pollution in the community
-Help design a collection program for mercury, and
-Assist in education and outreach efforts, as appropriate.

If you have any further questions about the Mercury Reclamation Partnership, please contact Ron DiBacco (440.337.1513) of the Solon Water Reclamation Department.