Beyond Bad Fillings: The Mercury Crisis

Data from a four year monitoring project shows that mercury contamination in the enviroment is far higher than suspected previously. It's affecting more wildlife in more ways - and leads scientists to think the amount of mercury contaminating the food chain is higher than was recognized before.

In people, mercury "affects the brain and central nervous system, can delay development of fine motor skills, and lead to poor verbal memory and lower IQ."

Keeping Tabs on Mercury

When scientist David Evers of the Biodiversity Research Institute in Gorham, Maine, saw the latest data on mercury from Vermont's Green Mountains, he was amazed. The data showed for the first time that insect-eating forest song birds were contaminated with mercury. The highest mercury concentrations were in Bicknell's thrush, the species ranked as the highest conservation priority in the Northeast. Believing he had found the "canary in the coal mine" of a broader mercury problem, Evers launched a four-year monitoring project with colleagues in Vermont and Canada. Their disturbing findings were published in the April issue of Ecotoxicology1: The measured mercury levels in forest songbirds were high enough to potentially interfere with their reproduction.

Mercury has long been known to be a threat to human health and the environment, but here was research showing the threat to be even broader. Evers and his colleagues published another paper that for the first time identified nine "biological hot spots" in northeastern North America, where harmful levels of mercury were found in several species, including loons, eagles, mink, and otter.2 The hot spots were often located far away from industrial sources, including coal-burning power companies, indicating that emissions can both travel long distances and have a significant impact on a range of wildlife species.

What does all this mean for people? A high body burden of mercury is already borne by women and children, who are most susceptible to its effects. According to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 1999 and 2000, nearly one in six US women of childbearing age has unsafe levels of mercury in her body. Mercury affects the brain and central nervous system, can delay development of fine motor skills, and lead to poor verbal memory and lower IQ. Forty-six states warn pregnant women and young children to limit consumption of locally caught fish.

When I was 14, my mother had all three of my mercury fillings removed and I had to get the new kind. I forget what kind they were. At the time, I was like "woman you are crazy". But, now i'm glad she had it done after reading the research done on this.

Mercury has put a huge damper on the freshwater sport fishing industry.

Check your state environmental or public heath agency for consumption advisories.

There are numerous sources of mercury in the environment. The biggest of which are coal power plant emissions,

On a personal level, if you have fluorescent light bulbs where you work, check to see if they are being properly recycled/ disposed of. Many people are not aware that these are regulated.

Speaking of fillings:

I've heard repeatedly (from sources other than dentists) that Mercury Amalgum fillings are not a health risk, and some quackery devices were used (things as simple as a galvonometer or multimeter) to try and convince people to replace them with other fillings.

Originally posted by Toxic Fox

I've heard repeatedly (from sources other than dentists) that Mercury Amalgum fillings are not a health risk,

Hmm. I recommend your researching mercury independently, with a focus on it's health effects.

Heck, if you consider the scientific concept of hormesis, a little mercury isn't a terribly bad thing. Keyword - LITTLE.

I live about an hour from the Minnesota River and used to fish it but I
won't anymore.

The Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources has posted fish consumption
advisories warning the public not to eat the fish due to Mercury and other heavy metals in the river.

The source of these polutants is herbicide and pesticide runoff from all of the farm fields along the river.

They are trying to reduce this and clean up the river but it will be years before it is back to the state it was when I was younger.