NEWS RELEASE
CITY OF BARRIE
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The City of Barrie is launching a program to encourage residents to bring items containing mercury to the Household Hazardous Waste Depot (HHWD). The program is designed to divert a potent toxic chemical - liquid mercury - from the waste stream.
In partnership with Scout Environmental, and with generous funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Barrie has become one of the first municipalities to launch the Mercury Roundup program that will expand to six other Ontario municipalities by 2021.
“There are many older mercury-containing products still lingering in people’s basements, garages, and storage units - items like thermometers, thermostats, and blood pressure monitors,” said Sandra Brunet, Manager of Environmental Operations at the City. “We want to make sure these products don’t get thrown into the garbage accidentally, where they pose a risk to the environment.”
Although it occurs naturally, mercury is extremely dangerous. Exposure to even small amounts can cause serious health problems. It can also contaminate soil and water and cause catastrophic damage to our natural ecosystems. Proper handling and disposal are critical.
“Our priority for Mercury Roundup is to inform Barrie residents about the various types of older products containing mercury and to bring them in for safe disposal,” explains Brunet. “As an added incentive, the first 600 residents to bring in a mercury-containing product to the HHWD will also receive a digital thermometer, free of charge.”
Mercury Roundup Facts:
- There is no cost for Barrie residents to bring in mercury-containing products.
- Barrie’s HHWD is located at 272 Ferndale Drive North and is open regularly on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Barrie’s HHWD is also open on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. between May 2, 2018 and Oct. 3, 2018.
Click here to see a full list of items that may contain mercury and which you may still have in your home.
An agency of the Government of Ontario, the Ontario Trillium Fund is one of Canada’s largest granting foundations. With a budget of over $136 million, it awards grants to some 1,000 projects every year to build healthy and vibrant Ontario communities. For more information about the Ontario Trillium Fund, please click here.
Scout Environmental is a not-for-profit that specializes in the development, delivery, and management of creative programs that engage people on environmental issues. For over fifteen years, Scout has been a pioneer in applying creative approaches to air quality, sustainability, and waste. Click here for more information.
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