How much does the U.S. contribute to worldwide mercury emissions?
Although the amount of mercury the U.S. contributes globally is small (about 3 percent), it still contributes more than it receives. Approximately two-thirds of U.S. mercury emissions are transported outside our borders. However, approximately 60 percent of the mercury deposition that occurs in the U.S. comes from domestic, human-made sources of pollution. The highest deposition rates from U.S. sources occur in the southern Great Lakes, the Ohio Valley, the Northeast, and scattered areas in the Southeast. How does mercury affect health? At high doses, mercury exposure can cause tremors, inability to walk, convulsions, and even death. At levels more commonly seen in the United States, the mercury exposure effects documented include more subtle—yet still serious—damage to the senses and brain. The developing fetus is the most sensitive to the effects of mercury, and so women of child-bearing age are the population of greatest concern. Children of women exposed to relatively high levels o
