What to Do if a Mercury
Spill Occurs
When liquid mercury spills, it breaks into small
drops. Any disturbance causes the mercury to break into even smaller
droplets. As the droplets become smaller, the mercury vaporizes
and can be easily inhaled. Even a very small quantity of mercury
spilled in a room will produce vapor concentrations that are dangerous
to human health. Small amounts of mercury - a broken thermometer,
for example - may pose only a nominal hazard and be relatively simple
to clean up safely.
Any spill beyond two tablespoons (one pound) must
be reported to the EPA. Follow these guidelines for safe disposal:
- In case of a very small spill (such
as breakage of a fever thermometer):
- Try to ventilate the room to outside
air and close the room off from the rest of the house. Promptly
turn off central heating or cooling systems. Be sure to seal
the heating and air-conditioning ducts. If available use fans
for a minimum of one hour to help ventilate the room.
- Pick up the mercury with eye dropper
or scoop up beads with a piece of paper and place it in a
sealable plastic zipper bag, a plastic or glass jar or bottle
and tightly close the lid. Use any non-metallic material to
clean up scattered mercury beads - a suitable scraper and
dustpan can be constructed from a plastic soda bottle or similar
container. Leave the recovered mercury in the room where the
spill occurred. Then, call your local
health department for the nearest approved mercury disposal
location. If the disposal location is not convenient, wrap
mercury and broken glass in plastic or newspaper and dispose
of with other household solid waste.
- When cleaning up a very small mercury
spill:
- DO NOT use household products
to clean up the spill - particularly Windex®, Formula
409®, bleach or similar cleansers containing ammonia or
chlorine. They will react violently with mercury, releasing
toxic gases.
- DO NOT attempt to clean up
the mercury by sweeping or by using a vacuum cleaner. Never
use a household vacuum cleaner because it causes the metallic
mercury to vaporize in the air, creating greater health risks.
And, you may have to dispose of the vacuum cleaner later.
- DO NOT place contaminated
garments in a washing machine or clothes dryer or combine
with other clothing. Instead, place contaminated garments
in a plastic bag and then seal the bag before ensuring proper
disposal.
- DO NOT wash mercury into drains.
- If the spill is more than a few drops:
- Immediately evacuate everyone from
the room where the spill occurred and close the doors. Do
not touch the spilled mercury, or breathe mercury vapors.
Stop or contain the spilled material if it is possible without
risking contact with skin or clothing. Promptly turn off central
heating or cooling systems. Do not allow people into the room.
- KDHE recommends you retain a professional
environmental cleanup firm with the training and equipment
to safely accomplish the removal. If the spill is one pound
or more - the equivalent of two tablespoons - you are required
by law to report the incident to the EPA National Response
Center, 1-800-424-8802. Report all mercury releases
to KDHE, 785-296-1679. Contact your health and safety
personnel if the spill occurs at work or school. Call your
local county
health department or poison control center for professional
help and answers to health questions. Mercury absorbent kits
may be available with the local health departments.
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