The Interstate Mercury Education & Reduction Clearinghouse (IMERC) has initiated IMERC Alert as a way of communicating critical information with manufacturers, distributors, and importers of mercury-added products and trade organizations that represent those companies. The Alert is designed to provide quick and easy updates on the regulatory requirements of IMERC-member states concerning mercury-added products and other related developments and activities. IMERC Alert is distributed primarily through an e-mail list of companies and organizations that have reported to IMERC that they produce or distribute mercury-added products, and it is posted on the IMERC web page at www.newmoa.org/prevention/mercury/imerc. IMERC will be issuing this Alert periodically—based on when announcements and new information become available. IMERC would appreciate receiving comments and suggestions on this bulletin; send your ideas to tgoldberg@newmoa.org.
As of May 1, 2003 the IMERC-member states have issued a newly revised and consolidated Mercury-added Product Notification Form. Any company or trade organization that submitted the original Mercury-Added Product Notification Forms to IMERC does not need to resubmit the revised Forms. IMERC intends for the new Form to be used by companies that have not yet filed their Notifications.
The major change in the Forms is that the two original Forms—the Mercury-added Product Notification Form and the Total Mercury in All Mercury-Added Products Form—have been combined into one Form that retains the title, “Mercury-added Product Notification Form.” The IMERC-member states hopes that this will reduce duplicate paper work and confusion over these Forms. IMERC has also clarified the Instructions and Form to address common questions and concerns. There are still two versions of the Form—one for use by companies filing as single manufacturers and one for use by trade organizations and others filing on behalf of multiple manufacturers.
To view the newly revised Forms and instructions visit www.newmoa.org/prevention/mercury/imerc/notificationforms.cfm.
IMERC has launched the Mercury-added Products Database on its webpage. This online resource provides access to data that manufacturers and distributors have submitted in compliance with the IMERC member states’ mercury product notification requirements. The database contains data on the mercury content of hundreds of products, including measuring devices, thermostats, batteries, lamps, and numerous products that contain mercury-added switches, relays, lamps, and button cell batteries. The reporting companies and organizations are given a chance to review what they have submitted to IMERC prior to posting the information online. You can view the database at www.newmoa.org/prevention/mercury/imerc/notification/.
IMERC was established by state environmental officials from Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont to help them implement laws and programs aimed at getting mercury out of consumer products, the waste stream, and the environment. IMERC is a program of the Northeast Waste Management Officials’ Association (NEWMOA).1
In 2001 the NEWMOA member states launched IMERC to provide:
- ongoing technical and programmatic assistance to states that have enacted mercury education and reduction legislation
- a single point of contact for industry and the public for information on mercury-added products and member states’ mercury education and reduction programs
NEWMOA’s staff provides logistical, facilitation, and technical support for the activities of IMERC.
1 NEWMOA is a non-profit, non-partisan interstate association made up of environmental agency directors from the hazardous waste, solid waste, waste site cleanup, pollution prevention, and underground storage tank programs in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Its mission is to help states articulate, promote, and implement economically sound regional programs for the enhancement of environmental protection.