Mercury’s Rising Threat in Florida

Florida is associated with high quality of life as exemplified through our wonderful abundance of locally-caught seafood, and superb recreational fishing opportunities. Fish is an excellent source of protein and Omega-3 fatty acids and is regularly consumed by Florida’s families and the millions of tourists that visit our state every year. Recreational fishing has become a $4.5 billion industry in Florida. Unfortunately, our quality of life, our public health, and the health of our tourist-based economy is quietly being undermined by a growing public health crisis: mercury contamination in fish.

State health officials have recently released a vastly expanded list of Florida fish consumption advisories due to mercury contamination. The newest advisory lists 59 saltwater species that carry mercury warnings – up from 8 species last year. They include such popular fish as snapper, grouper, dolphin, Cobia, tuna, and Pompano. Furthermore, the Florida Department of Health listed an additional 172 rivers and lakes to the list of Florida water bodies that contain fish with harmful levels of mercury. Freshwater anglers throughout the state are now warned to limit their consumption or avoid consuming Largemouth Bass and other popular freshwater delights.

Mercury is a potent neurotoxin. Pregnant women and young children are most at risk from mercury exposure. For instance, children of women who consume large quantities of fish during pregnancy can suffer from neurological problems, delayed onset of walking and talking and other developmental problems. Based on recent estimates, approximately one in six women of childbearing age in the United States may have mercury in their blood above the level that would pose a risk to a developing fetus. Thus, some 630,000 newborns may be threatened every year by neurological impairment from in-utero exposure. Infants and children also are endangered because their developing brains are extremely sensitive to mercury, which they can ingest from breast milk and contaminated fish. Meanwhile, elevated mercury levels in adults can adversely affect male fertility and blood pressure, and may contribute to heart disease.

What quantity of fish is safe to eat? Not much. According to the E.P.A., women considering pregnancy, pregnant and nursing women, and young children should limit their intake of albacore tuna to one 6 oz. can per week. Likewise, the state Department of Health warns pregnant women and young children to limit their consumption of dolphin to one serving per week, grouper to one serving per month, and the popular Cobia is off-limits completely. The complete of list of Florida fish consumption advisories can be found at: www.doh.state.fl.us/environment/hsee/fishconsumptionadvisories.

According to the E.P.A., the main culprit in the growing mercury contamination crisis is coal-fired power plant emissions. The burning of coal emits mercury. When the mercury emissions settle into our streams and oceans, bacteria convert it to toxic methyl mercury – which accumulates in the fish that we eat.

Mercury pollution has contaminated approximately 12 million acres of lakes, estuaries and wetlands, and more than 473,000 miles of streams, rivers and coastlines. In 2002, 44 states issued warnings about eating mercury-contaminated fish, a 63 percent jump from 1993, when 27 states issued such warnings. Nineteen states have issued statewide advisories for mercury in freshwater lakes and rivers, including Florida.

Tough new emission limits on coal-fired power plants would greatly reduce the amount of mercury in our waters and in our fish. Ironically, as the E.P.A. is warning us to eat less fish due to mercury contamination, it is weakening proposed mercury emission standards on coal-fired power plants. The Bush administration scrapped a proposal compliant with the requirements of the Clean Air Act that would have reduced power plant mercury emissions by 90%, from today’s 48 tons per year to 5 tons per year by 2008. Instead, the Bush administration has proposed a scheme that would reduce emissions to only 26 tons by 2010 and 15 tons by 2018. The Administration’s proposed rule, due to be finalized in March 2005, is not only a weakening of and a delay in mercury reductions from power plants according to Clean Air Act requirements, but the Bush administration wants to allow power plants the option to buy mercury pollution credits rather than cut emissions. This significant loophole could lead to toxic “hotspots” further endangering children’s health.

As a scientist who has witnessed the devastating effects of heavy metal poisoning in young children first-hand, I urge our President to take swifter action in reducing mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants. The interest of public health demands it. The health of Florida’s families and the well-being of our tourist-based economy depend on it.

Janvier Gasana, MD, PhD is the Chair of the Florida Children’s Environmental Health Alliance.