(02/03/06) HILLSBOROUGH ? New Jersey leaders have scored a victory in their fight to get stockpiles of mercury shipped out of Hillsborough.

The toxic metal, used in military applications, is stored at the Somerville National Stockpile depot. The U.S. military began stockpiling mercury during the cold war in the 1950s. However, opponents say the stockpile poses a danger to residents living in nearby communities.

After a five-year battle with opponents, the Department of Defense has agreed to remove the 2,800 tons of mercury in Hillsborough. It will be shipped to the Hawthorne Army Depot in Nevada over a period of approximately 12 months.