Options to Reduce PBTs in Wisconsin

A number of different initiatives are underway to reduce PBTs and related chemicals in Wisconsin. Some of the initiatives include:

• Wisconsin Mercury Reduction Program
  The Mercury Reduction Program uses a variety of tools, including partnerships between the Department and seventeen Wisconsin communities, educational outreach, and innovative reduction and recycling activities to reach its goal of reducing mercury in the environment. The total amount of mercury collected and recycled through these programs along with the Dairy Mercury Manometer Replacement Program and the Auto Switch Recovery Program in Wisconsin is 13,000 pounds over the last five years. These represent the largest public collections of mercury-containing products in the United States to date. Further, almost all the products collected for recycling were permanently replaced with non-mercury devices.

  Many Wisconsin hospitals are part of Hospitals for a Healthy Environment H2E Program (exit DNR) and its goal to virtually eliminate mercury from healthcare. Even before H2E came on the scene, Wisconsin healthcare facilities were voluntarily replacing mercury equipment (thermometers, blood pressure devices, etc.) with non-mercury alternatives.

• Environmental Cooperation Pilot Program
  The Environmental Cooperation Pilot Program (ECPP) gives environmentally responsible companies the flexibility they need to achieve superior environmental performance. Some companies have committed to reduce mercury emissions and accelerate PCB transformer phase out as part of the agreements. Companies have an additional opportunity to voluntarily reduce PBTs as part of Wisconsin's Green Tier Program.

• The Wisconsin Voluntary Emission Reduction Registry
  The Wisconsin Voluntary Emission Reduction Registry was created to acknowledge emission reduction actions that are taken voluntarily, without prompting by regulations. Some pioneering Wisconsin companies have realized the importance of reducing their air emissions, and decided to reap the benefits of registering their voluntary emission reductions with the DNR. Mercury is one of the chemicals included in the registry.

• Illegal Open Burning and Dumping Initiative (PDF 140KB)
  Illegal open burning of solid wastes is a major environmental problem in Wisconsin. It is one of our largest sources of dioxin emissions, a PBT chemical infamous as a potent carcinogen. Illegal open burning is also the number one cause of citizen complaints to the Department on air pollution matters and is the number one cause of wildfire in our state. During 2003 the DNR convened a broadly-based group of stakeholders to discuss and work on identifying tools for decreasing inappropriate burning and dumping, and developing strategies to approach these issues collaboratively. The recommendations of this group as well as information on the health effects and alternative to open burning can be found on the Departments' Open Burning Web pages.

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