green LA girl

How to get your hair tested for mercury for $20

Posted by Siel in environment (Tuesday May 3, 2011 at 11:33 am)

Siel Ju's lock of hair, before it was sent in for mercury level testing

When I wrote about how I got my hair tested for mercury levels, I got a small flurry of email in response — from people both curious and desperate to know how to get their own hair tested. Apparently, a lot of people are fearful they’ve consumed too much mercury-tainted fish!

Luckily, getting your hair tested is easy, thanks to the Sierra Club. Just follow these simple steps:

1. Download this mercury testing form (PDF) from Sierra Club’s mercury-related website.

2. Fill out the form by answering five simple questions and writing in your contact information.

3. Get a lock of about 30 hairs snipped from as close to the scalp as possible.

4. Tape the hair to the form as instructed.

5. Write out a $20 check made out to UGA Marine Extension Service.

6. Mail the form with the hair and check to Lisa Liguori, Marine Extension Service, 715 Bay Street, Brunswick, GA 31520

The form says you’ll get your results in about four weeks. I got my results by mail in just three; Sierra Club’s website warns the process could take as long as eight weeks. Once you get your results, feel free to share them in the comments. And remember — Mercury doesn’t naturally occur in fish; the stuff comes largely from coal-fired power plants. Find out more at Sierra Club’s website — where you can easily email the EPA administrator demanding stronger air pollution preventions.

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1 Comments

1 comment for How to get your hair tested for mercury for $20 »

  1. Or for free you can stick your finger in a socket and if you light up like a flourescent light you’ll know. HA HA

    Comment by Eric Seberg — May 4, 2011 @ 10:21 am

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