Full Text of SR0724 095th General Assembly
SR0724 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
|
|
|
SR0724 |
|
LRB095 21396 RLJ 50707 r |
|
| 1 |
| SENATE RESOLUTION
| 2 |
| WHEREAS, Many common consumer products contain hazardous | 3 |
| materials; some of these materials, such as lead and mercury, | 4 |
| which can be found in compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), are | 5 |
| persistent bioaccumulative and toxic chemicals; when products | 6 |
| containing these materials are improperly stored or disposed of | 7 |
| and accidently break, they can contaminate the soil, | 8 |
| groundwater, and air, posing a risk to human health and | 9 |
| wildlife; and
| 10 |
| WHEREAS, CFLs significantly reduce mercury, greenhouse | 11 |
| gases, and other toxic emissions from coal-fired power plants | 12 |
| and are two to three times more efficient than standard | 13 |
| incandescent light bulbs, but concerns have been raised about | 14 |
| the safety of CFLs because all models contain mercury and some | 15 |
| models contain lead; and
| 16 |
| WHEREAS, Mercury is a persistent and toxic pollutant that | 17 |
| bioaccumulates in the environment; and
| 18 |
| WHEREAS, The Illinois Department of Public Health | 19 |
| recognizes that the developing nervous systems of fetuses and | 20 |
| children could be damaged if exposed to small amounts of | 21 |
| methylmercury; at high doses, methylmercury can affect the | 22 |
| central nervous system causing health problems such as memory |
|
|
|
SR0724 |
- 2 - |
LRB095 21396 RLJ 50707 r |
|
| 1 |
| loss and slurred speech; and methylmercury can cause kidney | 2 |
| damage, kidney failure, and gastrointestinal damage; and
| 3 |
| WHEREAS, The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, | 4 |
| municipalities, IKEA, and Ace Hardware offer CFL collection | 5 |
| programs for proper recycling, but the vast majority of CFLs | 6 |
| end up in landfills or trash incinerators where the hazardous | 7 |
| substances in CFLs can get released into the environment; and
| 8 |
| WHEREAS, Approximately two percent of household CFLs and | 9 |
| thirty percent of commercial CFLs are recycled in the United | 10 |
| States; therefore, be it | 11 |
| RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL | 12 |
| ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge CFL | 13 |
| manufactureres and retailers to voluntarily implement CFL | 14 |
| collection programs to ensure that more CFLs are properly | 15 |
| recycled.
|
|