Mercury is one of the most unique substances on Earth. The only kind of metal that is in liquid form at room temperature, it is primarily found in one household product - the thermometer. And yet, it is toxic, even if only vapors from the mercury are inhaled. Medical mercury thermometers may have slowly lost popularity because of the proliferation of digital thermometers, but other kinds of thermometers still have mercury inside the glass.
Since mercury is a pretty common substance, small accidental spills of mercury may happen anytime. It is particularly true in the case of medical thermometers using mercury, as these have to be shaken and tapped to "reset" the temperature. This has led the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue guidelines for cleaning up small mercury spills, specifically those that come from a thermometer.
Cleaning up a broken mercury thermometer
Have the following items at hand:
* 4-5 ziplock bags
* 2-6 mils thick trash bags
* Protective gloves - rubber, nitrile or latex
* Paper towels
* Squeegee and/or cardboard
* Eyedropper
* Duct tape, or shaving cream and small paint brush
* Flashlight
* Powdered sulfur (optional)
1. Wear the protective gloves.
2. Pick up all broken pieces of glass or other sharp objects, and place on the paper towels. Fold the paper towels and place in the ziplock bag. Secure the bag. Make sure to label the bag as directed by the local health or fire department.
3. Locate visible mercury beads, and with the squeegee or cardboard, use slow sweeping motions to contain the mercury. Darken the room and using the flashlight at a low angle close to the floor, look for additional glistening beads of mercury sticking to the surface or in small cracks. Be sure to inspect the whole room, as mercury moves fast on hard and flat surfaces.
4. Using the eyedropper, collect or draw up the mercury beads, and carefully squeeze it out on a damp paper towel. Place and secure in another ziplock bag, and label accordingly.
5. After removing the larger beads, put duct tape to collect hard to see beads. An alternative would be to put shaving cream on top of the small paint brush, and dot the affected area to pick up the beads. Place duct tape and/or paint brush in another zip lock, secure and label.
6. If powdered sulfur is available, it can be used to absorb mercury beads that are too small to see. Powdered sulfur binds mercury so it can be easily removed, suppresses mercury vapors, and makes it easier to see as sulfur changes color from yellow to brown upon contact. However, it may stain fabrics with a dark color, and can be moderately toxic when inhaled.
7. If sulfur is unavailable, it is advised to call a contractor with monitoring equipment to screen for mercury vapors.
8. Place the mercury beads, all materials used with the cleanup including the gloves, and other related objects into the trash bag. Secure and label the trash bag.
9. Contact the local health or fire department, or the municipal waste authority, for proper disposal of the materials.
If, for some reason, the amount of spilled mercury is more than the amount in a thermometer, isolate the contaminated area and call the local or state health and/or environmental agency. For spills greater than two tablespoons (which is already equivalent to one pound of mercury), call the National Response Center 24-hour hotline at (800) 424-8802.
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