Over the past several years, numerous mercury spills have been documented in schools, sometimes costing as much as $250,000 to clean up. The high cost and dangers to those exposed have prompted widespread public concern about mercury. As these stories became more widely known, the incidents prompted the Michigan Legislators to take action.

According to Public Act 376 of 2000 (Enrolled Senate Bill #1262 ), Michigan schools must phase out mercury use in the classroom and in the health (nurse's) office.  This law applies to liquid (free flowing) elemental mercury, as well as, mercury-containing instruments such as thermometers, barometers, manometers, and sphygmomanometers (blood pressure gauges). Schools have until 2004 to complete this process. The step-by-step Mercury Elimination Guidelines for Michigan Schools   (pdf) has helpful information for completing this process.

Michigan's Schools and School Districts that have responded to MDCH as being "Mercury-Free"

Other mercury uses potentially found in the building such as in thermostats, light switches, relays or fluorescent lights, are not impacted by this legislation.

• Letter to educators
• Status of State and Federal Mercury Product Legislation
• Mercury Assessment Checklist for Schools (NEWMOA)
• Michigan Science Teacher's Hg P2 Brochure  (pdf)
• Mercury Reduction and Recycling for Schools
• Mercury in Schools
• Clancy the Mercury-Detecting Dog   (Minnesota Pollution Control Agency) 
• A Case Study of Environmental, Health and Safety Issues Involving the Burlington, Massachusetts Public School System
• Mercury Pollution Prevention Education Project
• Why Focus on mercury in Schools?
• IllinoisDepartment of Public Health--Mercury Spills
• Minimizing Mercury Use Makes $ense  

News Items: Mercury in Schools

• Mercury-Free Alternatives for Schools
• Congratulations to the schools (pdf) for proactively removing mercury-containing instruments, such as thermometers, barometers, and sphygmomanometers from their facilities 2 years in advance of the statutory deadline of December 31, 2004, set by Michigan Public Act 376 of 2000. Job well done!
• National Alert: A Warning About Continuing Patterns of Metallic Mercury Exposure Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
• Fact Sheet: Mercury Contamination Dallas Senior High School Dallas, PA-November 7, 1996

• Mercury Use in School Classrooms: Summary and Assessment of Non-Mercury Alternatives (pdf)