Mercury Elimination Policy Reminder

This is a reminder that the IUPUI Mercury Elimination/Reduction Policy takes full effect on December 31st of this year.

The policy requires that all nonessential uses of elemental mercury or mercury-based compounds be eliminated from campus laboratories by December 31, 2007. (Mercury and mercury-based compounds being eliminated from chemical inventories are to be referred to the IUPUI Department of Environmental Health and Safety for proper disposal by means of the IUPUI Hazardous Materials Manifest for Intracampus Transportation available at the following link: http://ehs.iupui.edu/ehs/manifest_form.asp).

As of January 1, 2008, all costs associated with the disposal of mercury wastes will be referred back to the generating department. In addition, all cost associated with the response and remediation of a mercury release will be referred back to the department. The minimum disposal cost for a single container or mercury compound may run as high as $200.00. Disposal costs for mercury spills, if extensive, can run tens of thousands of dollars. (Disposal costs for a single spill at a nearby healthcare location cost that facility $23,000.00).