New law protects families and the environment; Saves taxpayer money News release AUGUSTA – Today, Governor Baldacci signed a new first-in-the-nation law to help reduce mercury pollution by requiring compact fluorescent light bulb manufacturers to share the costs and responsibility for recycling their mercury-containing bulbs. Similar bills are now pending in MA, VT, and CA. Read More
Mercury Pollution
Maine Adopts First-in-the-nation Law to Recycle Mercurcy-containing Light Bulbs
New law protects families and the environment; saves taxpayer money NRCM news release The Maine House and Senate have voted to support a new, first-in-the-nation, law to help reduce mercury pollution by requiring compact fluorescent light bulb manufacturers to share the costs and responsibility for recycling their mercury-containing bulbs. Governor Baldacci is expected to sign Read More
Support of LD 973, An Act to Provide for the Safe Collection and Recycling of Mercury Containing Light Bulbs
by Matt Prindiville, NRCM Toxics Project Director Senator Goodall, Representative Duchesne and members of the Natural Resources Committee. My name is Matt Prindiville, and I’m the Clean Production Project Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine. We strongly support LD 973, and we thank Representative Berry for bringing this bill to the attention of Read More
NRCM and Other Conservation Groups Sue EPA Over Power Plant Air Toxic Pollution
WASHINGTON D.C. — Today, a coalition of state and national public health and environmental groups, including the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM), filed a lawsuit in federal court here, seeking a firm and enforceable new deadline for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to require deep reductions in mercury and other toxic air pollutants emitted Read More
Maine Governor Signs Two First-In-Nation Laws To Reduce Mercury Pollution
New Laws Will Recycle Mercury Thermostats, Ban Sale of Mercury Button Cell Batteries NRCM news release AUGUSTA, MAINE – At noon today, Maine Governor John Baldacci signed into law two new precedent-setting measures that will reduce mercury pollution. One of the laws requires manufacturers to provide the nation’s first financial incentive to recycle building thermostats Read More
Mercury Thermostat Sales Ban Started on January 1st
But 5,600 Pounds of Mercury Still on Walls of Maine Homes, Businesses News release Today, the Natural Resources Council of Maine hosted a news conference at the Maine Hardware Store in Portland to inform Maine people about the new mercury thermostat sales ban that went into effect January 1, 2006, and to highlight the need Read More
Most Mercury Found in Swordfish and Tuna Bought in Maine
NRCM: Warnings Needed Where Fish Is Sold, Clean-Up Still Needed AUGUSTA – Today, the Natural Resources Council of Maine released the results of a major mercury testing project which included samples of swordfish and tuna taken from Shaw’s in Portland ME. The swordfish and tuna steaks from Maine supermarkets contained the most mercury contamination of Read More
NRCM Files Suit Challenging U.S. EPA Air Toxics Rule
NRCM news release Washington, D.C. – Today the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) filed suit in the federal Court of Appeals challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s recent decision to remove power plants from the list of industrial pollution sources requiring strict controls for mercury and other toxic air pollutant emissions. “Merely declaring that Read More
16,896 Mercury-laden Car Switches Collected Under Maine’s Landmark Program!
NRCM news release At the urging of the Natural Resources Council of Maine, in 2002 Maine lawmakers passed a first-in-the-nation law to require carmakers to pay to collect harmful mercury switches from junked cars before scrapping them. Maine’s car mercury switch law was challenged in court by the carmakers, but the law prevailed. In December Read More
