Summary of Research on Mercury Emissions from Municipal Landfills
Why are Mercury Emissions from Municipal Landfills a Potential Problem?
Mercury is a potent
neurotoxin that can affect the brain, liver and kidneys, and cause
developmental disorders in children. Young children and developing
fetuses are especially at risk.
Mercury is found in a variety
of products, such as fluorescent and other lights, batteries,
electrical switches and relays, barometers, and thermometers, much of
which ends up in municipal landfills. The mercury contained in these
products can evaporate into the air or leach into the groundwater from
the landfills.
Researchers are just beginning to quantify and understand how much
mercury is emitted to the atmosphere from landfills, and the data
suggest that potentially important losses are occurring.
Mercury leaching from
landfills into groundwater has been studied more than air emissions.
Available data show that mercury in groundwater can exceed drinking
water standards from older, unlined landfills, but is less likely to
leach into groundwater from landfills that are lined and use leachate
collection systems. Depending on how the leachate is treated, however,
mercury collected in leachate systems may reenter the environment.