In response to growing concerns over mercury in the San Francisco Bay, the District continues to focus efforts on this pollutant of concern. Mercury has been used for centuries in everything from mining to paints and pesticides.

Today, mercury is commonly found at home in batteries, toys, fluorescent tubes, thermometers, and thermostats. Mercury is a toxic pollutant that builds up in the human body and can cause damage to the nervous system and to the kidneys, liver, or skin. For more information of the effects of mercury on the human body visit the following websites: http://ca.water.usgs.gov/mercury/, and http://epa.gov/.

Household Sources of Mercury and How to Safely Dispose of them…

A significant source of today’s mercury contamination comes from consumer items that are not disposed of properly. Mercury thermometers and other household items such as fluorescent light bulbs, some electrical switches and thermostats that contain mercury may be safely discarded at Alameda County‘s Household Hazardous Waste site.