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October 21, 2008

Go Mercury-Free or Go Bust

BY: Beth

Oceana’s Campaign to Stop Seafood Contamination released a new research paper today, No Excuses: Communities at Risk Without Mercury-Free Technology, that finds that the last four mercury-based chlorine factories (the “Foul Four”) are likely to shut down operations in the coming years if they do not convert to a mercury-free process, costing a total of hundreds of jobs in their local communities. Updating their facilities to mercury-free technology, on the other hand, would mean making an investment to stay in their local communities for the next 30-40 years.Mercury is a neurotoxin that builds up in seafood via bioaccumulation; it attacks the central nervous system and can lead to impaired coordination, tremors, memory loss, and many other symptoms. But the greatest concern about mercury is its detrimental effect on fetal development and child brain development. Mercury-free technology protects waterways, protects kids and protects American jobs.