NJ DEP Adopts Mercury, Arsenic Standards

Bradley Campbell, New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection commissioner, announced the adoption of new rules that establish the strongest mercury and arsenic standards in the nation. These rules will reduce mercury emissions from certain facilities by up to 90 percent by the end of 2007 and will cut in half the acceptable limit of arsenic in drinking water by 2006.

"These rules build upon Governor McGreevey's strong legacy of fighting pollution and protecting New Jersey's drinking water," said Campbell. "If New Jersey's mercury rules were enacted nationally, annual emissions from coal-fired power plants alone would decline from approximately 48 tons to about five tons. At the same time, through existing technologies we can provide greater health protections, reducing the risk of cancers from arsenic in drinking water."

The adopted mercury regulations call for a 90-percent reduction of mercury emissions from the state's 10 coal-fired boilers in power plants by the end of 2007. The rules allow for some flexibility, giving plants the option of meeting the standards in 2012 if they also make major reductions in their emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and fine particulates.

The regulations mandate a reduction of mercury emissions from the state's six iron and steel smelters of 75 percent by the end of 2009. The state estimates that iron and steel manufacturing plants are the largest New Jersey-based sources of mercury emissions with much of their materials coming from shredded automobiles' scrap metal.

The rules also call for a further reduction of mercury emissions from New Jersey's five municipal solid waste incinerators of at least 95 percent below 1990 levels in 2011.

In addition, the mercury rules contain standards for medical waste incinerators that are already being met by the three facilities operating in New Jersey. These protective standards will ensure that these incinerators continue to minimize mercury emissions, allowing for a maximum level of emissions that is one-tenth the current federal limit.

The adopted rules will appear in the December 6, 2004 New Jersey Register.