[GreenYes] Landfills Make Mercury More Toxic

["Reindl, John" <Reindl@co.dane.wi.us>]

In a recent issue of Science News, an article reports on research findings
that metallic mercury buried in landfills can be converted by the anaerobic
bacteria into two forms of more toxic monomethyl mercury and dimethyl
mercury. A staff at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency notes that
"sending mercury-containing wastes to landfills may essentially be
spoon-feeding copious amounts of the toxicant to methylating bacteria, which
then cough the injurious forms into air". The Science News article can be
found at:  
http://www.sciencenews.org/20010707/fob1.asp

John Reindl
Dane County, WI