A WEST DEVON campaigner is gearing up for a key vote by the European Commission next week which could bring to an end a 350-year-old tradition. Philip Collins, who owns and runs Barometer World at Merton — one of the few businesses in the country still making the traditional devices — hopes MEPs will rethink plans to ban the use of mercury in barometers. The European Commission has introduced a proposed directive to restrict the presence of mercury in homes in response to concerns about potential environmental and health risks. However, Mr Collins says the amounts of mercury used in barometers are very small. He said: 'Recent data states that each year 3,600 tons of mercury is used globally in industry, of which 300 tons is used in the EU. In the UK, less than 30 kilos of mercury is used every year in new barometers. Therefore, banning them outright would be disproportionate to the risks posed by the tiny amount of mercury they contain.' He added: 'The banning of mercury barometers will not stop pollution; in fact it could become more prevalent as the general public will not know how to dispose of their barometers correctly. Without the specialist knowledge and experience of those currently working in the industry there will be less safeguards in place to prevent mercury being dumped into landfill sites around the country.' Earlier this year, an amendment to the legislation supported by South West MEPs was put forward proposing exemptions for carefully controlled and licenced manufacture of barometers. MEPs are set to vote in Strasbourg next week on whether to accept the amendment or forge ahead with a complete ban.
