Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/04/15

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Subject: [Leica] Mercury Cell Ban & Fish
From: Marc James Small <msmall@roanoke.infi.net>
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1998 13:44:14 -0400

There are, of course, a zillion other ways to control the "threat" from
mercury cells other than an outright ban.  One suggestion was to have a
deposit on the cells to encourage purchasers to return them to the store
from which they bought the cell once it was dead.  

The reality is that flourescent lightbulbs introduce into the environment
well over 1000 times the mercury that the batteries did;  we all just toss
the burned-out light tubes into the trash, and they break as soon as they
are tossed into the landfill, if not before.  The mercury batteries have to
rust before they release mercury, and that is a matter of many years.

The issue is one more of inflammatory environmentalism gone a-gley than of
a reasoned response to a huge threat.

As to the situation with the eating of fish, I am not a large-scale
consumer of our finny friends.  But I want to know just how these fish got
mercury into their systems from camera batteries.  Am I missing something?
Is there a piscine market for MR-4 meters and old Spotmatics?  Have I been
neglecting a possible venue for camera shows I should be attending?

Marc


msmall@roanoke.infi.net  FAX:  +540/343-7315
Cha robh bas fir gun ghras fir!