tailieunhanh - Children’s Health and the Environment in North America

Mercury that exists in a stable state in the Earth’s crust is referred to as “geologic” mercury. The active mercury cycle begins when mercury is released from this stable form to the environment through natural processes or human intervention. There are four principal pathways releasing mercury to the environment. First is through natural processes; for example, mercury that was once in the Earth’s crust could be released through a volcanic eruption or other geological activity. Second is the release of mercury that is incidental to some other activity; for example, the natural mercury found in coal is released when the coal is burned in a power plant to produce electricity. The third way mercury. | Printed in Canada on paper containing 100 post-consumer waste fiber. Commission for Environmental Cooperation 2006 Legal Deposit-Bibliothèque nationale du Québec 2006 Legal Deposit-Bibliothèque nationale du Canada 2006 ISBN 2-923358-32-5 All images used with permission DISCLAIMER This report was prepared by the CEC Secretariat in coordination with the Steering Group for the Development of Indicators of Children s Health and the Environment in North America which is composed of officials of the Governments of Canada Mexico and the United States and representatives of the CEC the International Joint Commission s Health Professionals Task Force IJC HPTF the Pan American Health Organization PAHO and the World Health Organization WHO . This North American report is based primarily on information contained in separate country reports prepared by Canada Mexico and the United States available at http pubs_docs documents varlan english ID 1813 . Not all information and statements in the report necessarily reflect the views of the Governments of Canada Mexico and or the United States or the CEC Secretariat IJC PAHO and or WHO in part because the report is a compilation of information provided separately by the three different countries. Commission for Environmental Cooperation 393 rue St-Jacques Ouest Bureau 200 Montréal Québec Canada H2Y 1N9 t 514 350-4300 f 514 350-4314 info@ Children s Health and the Environment in North America A First Report on Available Indicators and Measures Prepared by Secretariat Commission for Environmental Cooperation In collaboration with International Joint Commission Health Professionals Task Force Pan American Health Organization World Health Organization The Governments of Canada Mexico and the United States World Health Organization January .