July 12, 2001

The Honourable Allan Rock
Minister of Health
Health Canada
16th floor, Brooke Claxton Building
Tunney's Pasture
Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9

Dear Minister:

Pollution Probe is writing to you today to ask that Health Canada ban the sale of mercury fever thermometers sold to consumers in Canada.  Our request follows the publication of a new technical report in the July 2001 issue of Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, which states that mercury “should not be present in the home or other environments of children,” encouraging parents “to remove mercury thermometers from their homes.” The report concludes that “mercury in all of its forms is toxic to the fetus and children” and significant exposure can result in effects ranging from “learning disabilities to devastating neurologic problems.”

We are requesting that the Minister act with precaution to protect children’s health in Canada. Pollution Probe is calling on Health Canada to use its authority under the Hazardous Products Act, to ban the advertising, sale, and importation of household mercury fever thermometers. 

Canada is lagging leading jurisdictions in Europe, Scandinavia and the United States, where mercury thermometer bans have been instituted.  Mercury levels in Canada continue to increase, placing vulnerable populations at risk of mercury poisoning, yet Canada relies almost exclusively on the spill-over effect of regulations in other jurisdictions.  Industry sources have informed us that Canada has become the dumping ground for North American mercury thermometers, which are being rapidly phased-out of use in the United States.

Pollution Probe is Canada’s leading non-government organization working on science-based approaches to reduce mercury use and release.  We organized the signing of Canada’s first NGO-led environmental Memorandum of Understanding to reduce mercury in hospitals, we prepared Canada’s first detailed inventory of mercury uses and releases, we were on the committee that wrote the North American Regional Action Plan on Mercury (under NAFTA) and play an important role in the Canada Wide Standards process.  

We are requesting a meeting with you and your staff to discuss the importance of this issue and the implementation of measures needed to protect the Health of Canadian children.  We look forward to your reply.

Yours truly

Ken Ogilvie,
Executive Director