222Regulations
United States
In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency is charged with regulating and managing
mercury contamination. Several laws give the EPA this authority, including the Clean Air Act, the
Clean Water Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Additionally, the Mercury-Containing and Rechargeable Battery Management Act, passed in 1996,
phases out the use of mercury in batteries, and provides for the efficient and cost-effective disposal
of many types of used batteries. North America contributed approximately 11% of the total global
anthropogenic mercury emissions in 1995.