On April 14, 2016, the United States Environmental Protection Agency confirmed that it is appropriate and necessary to regulate air toxics, including mercury, from power plants after including a consideration of costs.
Background:
US DOE
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According to US EPA, power plants are the largest industrial source of mercury pollution in the U.S.A. and they emit more than half of a range of air toxics, as well as sulphur dioxide and particulates. Based on the determination that air toxic emissions, most notably mercury, pose hazards to public health and the environment and that there are available controls to reduce air toxic emissions from these units, EPA determined on December 20, 2000, that it is appropriate to regulate coal- and oilfired power plants. On February 16, 2012, EPA published final air toxics standards for coal- and oil-fired power plants also known as the Mercury Air Toxics Standards or "MATS". The power industry and several states had challenged the rules in federal court. Last June, without blocking the rules from going forward, the Supreme Court said the EPA had failed to properly consider how much their implementation would cost power plants.
The analysis released on Friday, April 15, is EPA's answer to the requirement of a cost analysis demanded by the Supreme Court. The new analysis reaffirms prior determination which shows that compliance with MATS is a very cost-effective way to very significantly reduce a whole host of very dangerous pollutants. The EPA estimated that, nationwide, the new standards would have about $90 billion a year in health benefits, preventing up to 11,000 premature deaths, 4,700 heart attacks and 130,000 asthma attacks annually.
Related information
US EPA: Mercury and Air Toxics Standard (MATS)
US EPA: MATS Regulatory Actions
US EPA: Cleaner Power Plants
UNEP: Reducing Risk from Mercury
BRI
- Report: Mercury in the Global Environment: Patterns of Global Seafood
Mercury Concentrations and their Relationship with Human Health
Zero Mercury Working Group - Report: Mercury Contamination, Exposures and Risk: A New Global Picture Emerges, December 2012
Related EVISA Resources
Link Database: Toxicity of Organo-mercury compounds Link Database: Mercury exposure through the diet Link Database: Environmental cycling of methylmercury Link Database: Environmental cycling of inorganic mercury Link Database: Environmental pollution of methylmercury Link Database: Environmental pollution of inorganic mercury Link Database: Toxicity of mercury 
Related EVISA News (newest first)
January 14, 2016: EVISA News revisited: Dissension on the best way to fight mercury pollution
September 2, 2014: Man is significantly contaminating oceans with mercury
October 12, 2013: Minamata Convention is adopted (12.10.2013)
January 14, 2013: Mercury Levels in Humans and Fish Around the World Regularly Exceed Health Advisory Levels
June 17, 2012: Factors Affecting Methylmercury Accumulation in the Food Chain January 25, 2012: New Report Shows High Levels of Mercury in Terrestrial Ecosystems December 19, 2011: Anthropogenic Mercury Releases Into the Atmosphere from Ancient to Modern Time May 5, 2009: Ocean mercury on the rise October 9, 2006: Linking atmospheric mercury to methylmercury in fish August 16, 2006: Mercury pollution threatens health worldwide, scientists say September 13, 2005: Regulating Mercury Emissions from Power Plants: Will It Protect Our Health? April 3rd, 2005: Dissension on the best way to fight mercury pollution last time modified: September 24, 2024
