Prison Time Sought For Maryland Mercury Polluter
Man pleaded guilty to 10 felony counts
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Attorney General said mercury from old fluorescent bulbs disposed of improperly.
Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler says his office is asking for prison time and significant fines for a fluorescent light bulb recycler who has pleaded guilty to mercury handling violations.
The attorney general announced that 50-year-old Glen Wright Smith of Owings, Md. pleaded guilty to 10 felony counts. Gansler says mercury from old bulbs was improperly handled, stored and discarded, posing serious risks to workers and the environment.
He says a state inspection in May 2009 found drums and boxes being used for disposal. Employers later told the investigators they were not aware of the danger of the highly toxic chemical.
Smith is to be sentenced Feb. 29 in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court.
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