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The amount of mercury measured in fish and birds in the Everglades has dropped by more than 60 percent during the past decade. The decrease is attributed to a drop in emissions from municipal garbage and medical waste incinerators. A lot of power plants in South Florida burn oil which has less mercury than coal. Mercury is toxic and build up to dangerous levels in humans and other larger animals. In 1989 mercury concentrations were above 2 milligrams per kilogram in fish. Now, depending on the location in the Everglades, it ranges from 0.2 to 1.5 milligrams per kilogram.
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