<unk>  can be prevented or minimized by eliminating or reducing exposure to<unk>  and<unk>  compounds. To that end, many governments and private groups have made efforts to heavily regulate the use of<unk> , or to issue advisories about the use of<unk> . Most countries have signed the Minamata Convention on<unk> . The export from the European Union of<unk>  and some<unk>  compounds has been prohibited since 15 March 2010. The European Union has banned most uses of<unk> .<unk>  is allowed for fluorescent light bulbs because of pressure from countries such as Germany, the Netherlands and Hungary, which are connected to the main producers of fluorescent light bulbs: General Electric, Philips and Osram. +US environmental limits Country Regulating agency Regulated activity Medium Type of<unk>  compound Type of limit Limit US Occupational Safety and Health Administration occupational exposure air elemental<unk>  Ceiling (not to exceed) 0.1 mg/m3 US Occupational Safety and Health Administration occupational exposure air organic<unk>  Ceiling (not to exceed) 0.05 mg/m3 US Food and Drug Administration eating sea food methylmercury Maximum allowable concentration 1 ppm (1 mg/L) US Environmental Protection Agency drinking water inorganic<unk>  Maximum contaminant level 2 ppb (0.002 mg/L) The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued recommendations in 2004 regarding exposure to<unk>  in fish and shellfish. The EPA also developed the "Fish Kids" awareness campaign for children and young adults on account of the greater impact of<unk>  exposure to that population. Cleaning spilled<unk>  EPA workers clean up residential<unk>  spill in 2004<unk>  thermometers and<unk>  light bulbs are not as common as they used to be, and the amount of<unk>  they contain is unlikely to be a health concern if handled carefully. However, broken items still require careful cleanup, as<unk>  can be hard to collect and it is easy to accidentally create a much larger exposure problem. If available, powdered sulfur may be applied to the spill, in order to create a solid compound that is more easily removed from surfaces than liquid<unk> .
Mercury poisoning
Minamata disease
Mercury Poisoning
Niigata Minamata disease
Cobalt poisoning
Childhood disintegrative disorder
Cadmium poisoning
Lead poisoning