We would support these provisions and urge their immediate approval. We would urge MDE to move forward immediately with efforts to do consumer education on mercury, and its safe disposal. For instance, many families still use mercury thermometers, which could now be replaced by newer digital ones. House Bill 523 offers a comprehensive long term approach to the problem, and charges MDE with developing a workplan to address this problem. We would urge a blending of the 2 proposals with both an immediate response and a long term workplan development.
Environmental hazards pose a unique threat to children.
The special susceptibility of children to environmental hazards is well documented. Children are often more heavily exposed to certain toxic substances in the environment than adults. Pound for pound of body weight, children breathe more air, drink more water and eat more food than adults. The systems of a child s body are still developing, making children less able to metabolize, detoxify and excrete toxic substances, than adults. Windows of development create critical times for injury to young children.