Fisher Controls International

Year Submitted: 2003

Process: Process Instumentation

Industry: Metal Fabrication

Wastes Reduced: Mercury

Substance: Mercury Manometer

Equipment: Electronic Pressure

Location: McKinney TX

No. of employees: 450

Contact: Robert Butcher

Phone: (214) 548-3533

Description:

Mercury manomitors were being used in the plant to measure pressure in testing the products Fisher manufactures. These instruments were vented to the building air. Air monitoring around the instruments indicated an increasing emission of mercury vapor as the systems aged.

P2 Application:

The old pressure gages were replace with electronic pressure sensors that did not contain mercury.

Environmental Benefits:

Employees were no longer exposed to mercury emissions from the old pressure gages and the possibility of a mercury spill was eliminated.

Details of Reductions

Additional Information :

The cost to replace each manomitor was $700. The old mercury was sold to a recycler and the instruments were decontaminated and sold as scrap metal. The real savings of eliminating the potential liability of mercury emissions and spills made the project more than worth the cost for Fisher.

Source: TCEQ