Ditch your mercury light switch
Mercury (noun) 1. a brand of automobile 2. a poisonous element that doesn’t belong in your car
Mercury
You may have heard about the dangers of mercury pollution. Mercury, a naturally occurring chemical element, is a neurotoxin that can slow fetal and child development and cause irreversible brain damage. The term “Mad as a Hatter” originated during the era when hatmakers used mercury to cure felt. It’s been a very long time since mercury was used in making hats, but mercury concentrations in the environment are increasing, and far more people are exposed to mercury than ever before.
Mercury pollution is so widespread that Oregonians are warned to limit consumption of certain fish from a dozen bodies of water, including the entire mainstem of the Willamette. Fish can absorb large amounts of mercury from contaminated surface waters, especially those high on the aquatic food chain.
The Mercury Light Switch
Two of the biggest sources of mercury pollution are chlorine chemical plants and coal-fired power plants. A lesser-known source of mercury is facilities that recycle auto scrap. For years, automakers used mercury in trunk- or hood-mounted light switches. The toxin is released into the environment when scrap cars are crushed, shredded and melted to produce new steel. One mercury light switch contains about one gram of mercury, and some cars have two switches. The amount of mercury found in a single light switch is enough to contaminate a 20-acre lake.
Alternative
There’s something you can do to reduce your car’s contribution to the mercury problem. You can safely replace mercury light switches with environmentally-friendly ball-bearing switches by switching out your car’s mercury light switch for free at participating auto repair shops. To find out if your car has a mercury light switch and to find a shop in your neighborhood that can make the switch, call 1-800-730-7282 or visit the Northwest Automotive Trades Association website.
While most automakers have phased out the use of mercury light switches, they should take responsibility for removing and recycling mercury light switches that are in the existing fleet of vehicles. They also need to redesign cars to be completely mercury-free -- mercury can also be found in high-intensity headlights, anti-lock brake systems, and global positioning screens.
