Minister of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Environment, Chester Gillan, commended Prince Edward Island pharmacies today for voluntarily removing mercury fever thermometers from store shelves.
The move, spearheaded by the Prince Edward Island Pharmaceutical Association, supports ongoing efforts to minimize releases of mercury to the Island environment and thereby reduce potential health risks associated with mercury exposure. Studies show that low levels of mercury can have subtle impacts on brain development and learning ability of children. Higher levels of mercury in children and adults are known to affect the kidneys and nervous system.
"By reducing the amount of mercury-containing items entering the waste stream, we can minimize releases of mercury to the environment," said Minister Gillan. "A thermometer might seem like a small item – in fact it contains only about half a gram of mercury – however, that small amount is enough to contaminate five million gallons of water."
Paul Gallant, President of the Prince Edward Island Pharmaceutical Association, said upwards of 250 mercury-containing thermometers have been removed from 43 pharmacies across the province.
"Our members recognize that digital thermometers are a safer product for our customers. Every year, the Poison Control Centre in Halifax receives calls about mercury exposure as a result of mercury fever thermometers that have broken," said Mr. Gallant. "So, we want to encourage customers to use digital thermometers."
Toward that end, this September the Department of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Environment will partner with the Pharmaceutical Association on a province-wide mercury thermometer collection.
"Based on experience in other jurisdictions, we are estimating that there are as many as 4,000 mercury-containing thermometers in Prince Edward Island homes," said Minister Gillan. "We will be asking people to take those old thermometers to their nearest pharmacy so they can be collected and sent off-Island for safe disposal."
Some incentive will be offered to encourage Islanders to trade in mercury-containing thermometers for digital thermometers which are not only safer, but easier to read and more accurate. Details of the collection will be announced in the coming months.
Islanders who have mercury-containing thermometers should store them in a safe place until the fall collection.
In addition to thermometers, mercury is used in everything from thermostats and electrical switches, to old paints and dyes, computers, batteries, medical equipment and flourescent light bulbs. For further information on mercury, including guidelines for the safe cleanup of household mercury spills, contact the Department of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Environment at (902) 368-5047 or visit the web site www.gov.pe.ca/fae/pp-info.