ASSEMBLY, No. 2101
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
INTRODUCED JUNE 3, 1996
By Assemblywoman GILL
An Act concerning health warnings about mercury contamination and supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Department of Health, in consultation with the Department of Environmental Protection, shall prepare a consumer's mercury alert notice for posting in all patient areas of professional medical offices that provide gynecological, obstetrical or pediatric care and in the patient or client areas of all maternal and child health and nutrition programs. The notice shall explain the danger to women who expect to become pregnant, women who are pregnant or breast feeding their children, and young children, of eating mercury contaminated fish. The notice shall summarize the State's and the federal government's most current mercury health advisories concerning fish consumption and shall contain such other information as the department deems appropriate. The notice also shall list the telephone number established pursuant to subsection b. of this section that State residents may call for further information about the health advisories.
The department shall distribute the notice, at no charge, to all professional medical offices that provide gynecological, obstetrical or pediatric care and to all publicly funded maternal and child health and nutrition programs in the State. The department shall update the notice as necessary, and shall make additional copies of the notice available to health care providers upon request.
b. The Department of Health, in consultation with the Department of Environmental Protection, shall establish and maintain a telephone service to provide information to residents of the State about mercury health advisories for the consumption of fresh water fish.
2. This act shall take effect 60 days after enactment and shall expire on December 31, 1998.
STATEMENT
The purpose of this bill is to provide greater protection from the health hazards of mercury contamination by providing residents of this State who are at greatest risk of consuming fish that have elevated levels of mercury, with necessary information about these fish.
The Department of Health, in consultation with the Department of Environmental Protection, is required to prepare a consumer's mercury alert notice for posting in all patient areas of professional medical offices that provide gynecological, obstetrical or pediatric care and in all patient or client areas of maternal and child health and nutrition programs. The notice shall explain the danger to women who expect to become pregnant, women who are pregnant or breast feeding their children, and young children, of eating mercury contaminated fish. The notice shall summarize the State's and the federal government's most current health advisories concerning fish consumption.
The bill also requires the Department of Health, in consultation with the Department of Environmental Protection, to establish and maintain a telephone service to provide information to residents of the State about mercury health advisories for the consumption of fresh water fish. This telephone number shall be listed on the notices posted in medical offices and maternal and child health and nutrition programs.
While mercury is widespread in the environment, the most likely exposure for humans is by eating mercury contaminated fish. The amount of mercury in fish depends upon the species of fish, where the fish has lived and its size. Even though most fish are safe to eat, people who eat large amounts of fish may accumulate significant amounts of mercury over time.
This accumulation of mercury is a particular problem for women in the months just prior to and during pregnancy because a developing fetus is especially susceptible to the harmful effects of mercury. Mercury affects fetal development by preventing the brain and nervous system from developing normally. Affected children show lowered intelligence, impaired hearing and poor coordination, and their verbal and motor skills may be delayed.
Provides for notification to pregnant women about mercury health advisories in consumption of fish.