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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, Mercury is a persistent and toxic pollutant that
3 bioaccumulates in the environment; and
 
4     WHEREAS, The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the
5 United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have found
6 that mercury is a naturally occurring element in the
7 environment and is also released into the air through
8 industrial pollution; mercury that falls from the air can
9 accumulate in streams and oceans; bacteria in the water causes
10 chemical changes that transform mercury into methylmercury;
11 fish absorb the methylmercury as they feed in these waters;
12 methylmercury builds up more in some fish than in others
13 depending on what they eat, how long they live, and how high up
14 the food chain they are; and
 
15     WHEREAS, The Illinois Department of Public Health
16 recognizes that the developing nervous systems of fetuses and
17 children could be damaged if exposed to even small amounts of
18 methylmercury; at high doses, methylmercury can affect the
19 central nervous system, causing such health problems as memory
20 loss and slurred speech, and can cause kidney damage and
21 failure and gastrointestinal damage; the possible health
22 effects depend on how much methylmercury is stored in the fish
23 and how much fish is eaten over a period of time; based on the
24 amounts of methylmercury detected in predator sport fish in
25 Illinois, it is unlikely that people would experience adverse
26 health effects associated with exposure to high doses; and
 
27     WHEREAS, Forty-one states, including Illinois, have issued
28 fish advisories that warn certain individuals to restrict or
29 avoid consuming fish from bodies of water contaminated with
30 methylmercury; and
 
31     WHEREAS, The FDA and EPA recommend that if you are

 

 

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1 pregnant, planning to be pregnant, or a young child, you should
2 not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish because
3 they contain high levels of methylmercury; and
 
4     WHEREAS, The FDA and EPA recommend that if you are
5 pregnant, planning to be pregnant, or a young child, you should
6 eat up to 12 ounces (2 average meals) a week of a variety of
7 fish and shellfish that are lower in methylmercury; and
 
8     WHEREAS, The FDA and EPA recognize that 5 commonly eaten
9 fish that are low in methylmercury are shrimp, canned light
10 tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish and that another commonly
11 eaten fish, albacore ("white") tuna, has more methylmercury
12 than canned light tuna and should only be eaten in amounts of 6
13 ounces (one average meal) per week; therefore, be it
 
14     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
15 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
16 we urge commercial food markets that sell fish or shellfish to
17 post a notice warning of methylmercury in fish and shellfish;
18 and be it further
 
19     RESOLVED, That the we urge the Department of Public Health
20 to create a sample warning to be provided to commercial food
21 markets incorporating the following points:
22         "Fish and shellfish are important parts of a healthy
23     and balanced diet. They are good sources of high quality
24     protein and other nutrients. However, depending on the
25     amount and type of fish you consume, it may be prudent to
26     modify your diet if you are pregnant, planning to become
27     pregnant, nursing, or a young child. With a few simple
28     adjustments, you can continue to enjoy these foods in a
29     manner that is healthy and beneficial and reduce your
30     unborn or young child's exposure to the harmful effects of
31     mercury at the same time.
32         By following these 3 recommendations for selecting and

 

 

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1     eating fish or shellfish, women and young children will
2     receive the benefits of eating fish and shellfish and be
3     confident that they have reduced their exposure to the
4     harmful effects of mercury:
5             (1) Do not eat Shark, Swordfish, King Mackerel, or
6         Tilefish because they contain high levels of mercury.
7             (2) Eat up to 12 ounces (2 average meals) a week of
8         a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in
9         mercury.
10                 Five of the most commonly eaten fish that are
11             low in mercury are shrimp, canned light tuna,
12             salmon, pollock, and catfish.
13                 Another commonly eaten fish, albacore
14             ("white") tuna, has more mercury than canned light
15             tuna. So, when choosing your two meals of fish and
16             shellfish, you may eat up to 6 ounces (one average
17             meal) of albacore tuna per week.
18             (3) Check local advisories about the safety of fish
19         caught by family and friends in your local lakes,
20         rivers, and coastal areas. If no advice is available,
21         eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) per week of fish
22         you catch from local waters, but don't consume any
23         other fish during that week.".