INSTRUCTIONS
FOR CLEANING UP “SMALL” LIQUID MERCURY SPILLS
IN
HOUSEHOLDS
Northeast
Waste Management Officials’ Association
April
2003
With
input from the state environmental agencies of Connecticut, Maine,
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont,
the Northeast Waste Management Officials’ Association (NEWMOA) combined
available spill clean-up instructions with the experience of individuals who
have cleaned up mercury spills to create this document. It contains basic clean-up instructions for
small liquid mercury spill.
It is
impossible for this document to cover every type of spill situation; ultimately
common sense must be used to determine the most effective clean-up
approach. Individuals should always call
for assistance whenever they are unsure about how to properly clean up a mercury
spill.
Mercury is toxic to the human nervous
system. The developing brains of fetuses
and infants are especially sensitive to mercury’s toxic effects. Because mercury vapors are readily absorbed through the lungs into the bloodstream, they are particularly hazardous. Exposure to mercury vapors can occur when
mercury products (such as thermometers and fluorescent lamps) are broken. Even very small amounts of metallic mercury (several drops) may
raise air concentrations to levels that may be harmful to human health. Mercury vapors are also heavier than air and
may linger in higher concentrations at the site of the spill.
Know when to call for professional assistance
By federal law,
manufacturing, educational and service facilities must report mercury spills
greater than one pound (two tablespoons) to the proper authority. Therefore, a spill of this magnitude in a
household should be considered very serious.
Some states advise getting professional assistance on household spills
that are greater than a few drops. If
the mercury spill is on a porous surface such as a carpet, or if the mercury
droplets are widely dispersed in a room, it would also be wise to call for professional
assistance immediately. See Table 1 for
a summary of northeast states’ reporting requirements and assistance guidance
for mercury spills.
Cleaning up Small Liquid Mercury Spills
1.
EVACUATE THE SPILL AREA: If people were in the room when the spill
occurred, be sure that their shoes, clothing, and other articles have not been
splashed with mercury before they leave the room. If mercury has contaminated any clothing or
articles, remove these items from the person and place them in a plastic bag. Keep everyone else, especially children and
pets, out of the spill area to prevent tracking.
2.
LOWER the TEMPERATURE by turning down the
thermostat. The cooler the temperature,
the less mercury vapors will be released into the air. Mercury vapors are odorless and colorless.
3.
TURN OFF CENTRAL VENTILATING OR AIR
CONDITIONING SYSTEMS that could circulate air from the spill area to other
parts of the home or building.
4.
CLOSE INTERIOR DOORS leading to other rooms, but VENTILATE THE ROOM WITH
THE SPILL TO THE OUTDOORS by opening windows and any exterior doors. Place fans, facing out, in open windows or
doors to speed up ventilation.
5.
ASSEMBLE CLEAN-UP SUPPLIES: The following items may be helpful for safely
cleaning up a small mercury spill. Assemble
as many of them as you have.
Remember that if the item comes in contact with mercury during the
clean-up, it will have to be disposed of as hazardous waste.
Latex or rubber
gloves
Goggles
Two small pieces of
stiff paper or cardboard (not corrugated) with at least one straight edge, such
as index cards or playing cards
Damp paper towels
Wide mouth plastic
container with a lid
Airtight, sealable
plastic bags
Garbage bags
Flashlight
Eyedropper
Tape – masking, duct,
regular office – types & brands work differently, try many
Tweezers
Sulfur or zinc powder - these may be purchased from garden supply stores
6.
DRESS APPROPRIATELY: Remove all jewelry from hands and wrists so the
mercury does not bond to the metals. Change into old clothes and shoes that can be
safely discarded if they become contaminated.
Put on rubber gloves and goggles, if you have them.
7. CONTAIN THE
SPILL: Keep
the mercury from spreading into cracks, crevices, floor drains or onto sloped
or porous surfaces, which are difficult to clean. If necessary, use masking tape or duct tape
to make a vertical "fence" around the mercury droplets and confine
them to a limited area for clean-up.
If you cannot find the spilled
mercury, consider the entire room contaminated and call for professional assistance.
Never use a household or industrial vacuum
cleaner
to clean up mercury! These devices, even with filters, are not
adequately filtered to remove mercury.
Also they heat up and will spread mercury vapors. Once a
vacuum has been contaminated with mercury, it will release mercury each time it
is used; the only sure way to avoid spreading the contamination is to discard
the vacuum cleaner.
Never use a broom on a
mercury spill because it will contaminate
the broom and only scatter the mercury droplets, making them harder to find and
pick up.
Never pour mercury down the drain, or you
will contaminate your plumbing, your septic system, or your local sewage
treatment plant.
Never use household cleaning
products because they may react violently with the mercury, releasing
toxic gases.
8. PICK UP ALL
VISIBLE MERCURY DROPLETS:
For cleaning mercury from smooth,
hard surfaces:
If the mercury spill involves
glass pieces, such as from a glass mercury thermometer or a glass ampoule from
a mercury thermostat, use the tweezers to safely pick up any broken glass, placing the glass
in the plastic container.
Use the 2 pieces of stiff paper
to push the mercury beads together and then scoop them up. Place the beads in the plastic container. (Alternatively, you can use a rubber squeegee and dust pan to
collect the mercury beads, but you must dispose of these contaminated items
afterwards.)
Use an eyedropper to pick up the
beads you can’t get with the cardboard. Hold the eyedropper almost parallel
with the floor, or it will not work very well. Clear the eyedropper by gently
squeezing the contents onto a damp paper towel. If you do not have an eyedropper, press the
sticky side of the wide tape to the remaining beads. (Note: Tape only works on small beads of
mercury, not large droplets.)
When you think you’ve picked up
all the mercury, shine a flashlight (at many different, low angles) on the area
to find any remaining mercury beads or glass. Light will reflect off the mercury beads and
glass helping you to locate them.
For cleaning mercury from a carpet,
rug or fabric:
If the mercury spilled on a wall-to-wall carpet,
call for assistance; see contact information in Table 1.
For small rugs and other pieces of fabric,
fold or roll the surface so that the mercury contaminated area is trapped
inside. Place the contaminated rug or
fabric in a sealable, plastic bag. If a
sealable bag is not available or feasible to use, double- or triple-wrap the
contaminated fabric in plastic trash bags.
If the mercury spilled on a piece of
fabric-covered furniture, call for assistance; see Table 1 for contacts.
If the spill went down the drain:
Mercury may get caught in your sink
trap. Working over a tray a bucket or
piece of plastic, remove the trap.
Ideally you should place the trap and its contents in a sealable plastic
container and replace the trap. Put the
container inside two plastic bags (one inside the other). Dispose of the old trap and its contents as
hazardous mercury waste. (If you do not
replace the trap, pour the contents of the trap into the sealable plastic
container and dispose of it as hazardous mercury waste.)
If the spill was in a sink of water:
Remove as much of the water as possible
without disturbing the mercury beads.
Use a turkey baster or a small disposable cup. The water that is removed will not be
contaminated as metallic mercury is not soluble in water. Recover the mercury beads with an eyedropper
and place them in a non-breakable container.
Once all the visible mercury has been recovered, drain the water to the
sewer.
9. SPRINKLE “FLOWERS
OF SULFUR” (ELEMENTAL SULFUR IN POWDER FORM) OR FINE POWDER ZINC, if available,
ON THE SPILL SITE, if feasible, to bind any remaining mercury. These may be purchased from garden supply
stores. Apply over hard-to-reach areas,
such as cracks and crevices, to bind the mercury and halt the release of
mercury vapors. Afterwards, collect the
powder with a moist paper towel and dispose of as mercury waste. Take care not to inhale sulfur powder and
beware that it may permanently stain carpeting, clothing and furniture.
10. PLACE THE BROKEN PRODUCT AND ALL MATERIALS USED TO CLEAN UP
THE MERCURY IN SEALABLE PLASTIC CONTAINERS OR AIRTIGHT, SEALABLE BAGS. This includes the cards, paper towels,
eyedroppers, tweezers, and other equipment used to clean up the spill. Place the plastic containers or bags inside a
second plastic container or bag to provide additional containment protection. Seal each bag or tighten each lid securely so
that liquid and vapors will be contained.
Consult Table 1 for disposal
instructions in your state. If your
state has a program for disposal of this type of waste, label the packages “Mercury
Waste, Hazardous” and store in a secure place away from children and in a
ventilated area if possible until proper disposal can be arranged.
AFTER YOU HAVE CLEANED UP THE
SPILL:
1. CONTINUE
VENTILATING the room or spill zone with outside air for a minimum of two days,
if feasible. Fans to the outside will
assist the ventilation. Now that the
spill has been cleaned up, there is no longer a need to minimize vaporization
by lowering the room temperature; warming the area during ventilation, if
practical, will help dissipate any remaining mercury vapors more rapidly.
2. WASH HUMANS
AND ANIMALS THAT CAME INTO CONTACT WITH MERCURY using soap and a paste of water
and “flowers of sulfur,” if available. Afterwards,
thoroughly rinse the area. Dispose of all
clothing that may have come in contact with the mercury as mercury waste. NEVER PLACE MERCURY-CONTAMINATED FABRICS IN A
WASHING MACHINE
or DRYER.
3. REPLACE THE BROKEN
MERCURY DEVICE WITH A NON-MERCURY alternative.
4. Replace all remaining mercury devices
in the home with non-mercury alternatives.
The best way to protect yourself from mercury exposure is to prevent spills
from occurring.
5. If you
are uncertain about whether most of the spilled mercury was recovered and the
room is frequented by small children or pregnant women, it may be wise to test
for residual mercury in the air using a portable Jerome Meter or Lumex Mercury
Analyzer. Some state environmental
agencies have this capability. See Table 1 for state-specific contacts
Table 1: Reporting, Professional Assistance and
Disposal Instructions for Household Liquid Mercury Spills in Each Northeast
State
|
State |
Liquid Mercury Spill Reporting Requirements |
Advice on When and How to Seek Professional Assistance |
Disposal Advice
and Requirements for Mercury Spill Clean-up Material |
|
CT |
All spills should
be reported to DEP’s Oil and Chemical Spill Division at 860-424-3338. |
For spill assistance, contact DEP’s Oil and Chemical
Spill Division at 860-424-3338. For questions regarding potential mercury
poisoning, contact the Poison Control Center at the UCONN Health Center at
800-222-1222. |
Bring the spill clean-up material to a household hazardous
waste collection. The schedule is
available on the DEP website http://www.dep.state.ct.us/ (search “household
hazardous waste”). |
|
ME |
Although spills of
mercury used in household activity are not required to be reported, call the
DEP for clean-up assistance if the spill involves more than a few drops of
mercury. |
If the spill is
larger than a few drops, call DEP’s Spill Response at 800-452-4664. |
Spill clean-up waste should be kept out of the trash and stored
for a household hazardous waste collection.
Call your Town Office to find out if and when a HHW collection event
will be held in your area. |
|
MA |
Any release of one
pound or more of mercury in a 24 hour period must be reported to the DEP's
24-Hour Release/Spill Notification Line at (888) 304- 1133. |
If the spill is
larger than one pound (two tablespoons), call DEP's 24-Hour Release/Spill Notification Line at (888) 304-
1133. |
Contact
the MA Mercury Hotline at 866-9MERCURY (866-963-7287) to see what mercury disposal
options are offered in your community or consult www.CLEANUP.org (enter your zip code and look under
“Household Hazardous Waste”). As a
last resort, contact a commercial hazardous waste facility. |
|
NH |
No legal
requirement to report on household spills but DES suggests reporting if any
amount of mercury is spilled. |
Contact DES,
Special Investigations Section at 603-271-3899 in the event of a spill. For possible health risk questions, contact
your physician or the DHHS at 800-852-3345x4664. |
Bring the waste to
a household hazardous waste collection day.
Contact the HHW Coordinator at 603-271-2047 with questions. Alternately, contact a hazardous waste
remediation firm. |
|
NJ
|
If NJ lands or
waters are not impacted by the spill, there is no legal requirement to report
it. If lands or waters are impacted,
contact the Environmental Incident Hotline 877-WARNDEP |
|
Dispose of spill
clean-up material with the regular household trash. |
|
NY |
DEC requires reporting
of spills greater than one pound (two tablespoons). Some counties require the reporting of all
spills, no matter the amount. |
If the spill is
more than the contents of a fever thermometer (1 mL), contact the DEC Spills
Hotline at 800-457-7362. |
Do not place
mercury waste in the regular trash.
Contact your state environmental agency, local board of health or
sanitation department for disposal instructions. |
|
RI
|
No legal requirement to report on household spills, but DEM
suggests reporting all
spills to their Emergency Response Division ( |
Contact DEM’s Emergency Response Division ( |
Do not place mercury waste in the regular trash. Contact the DEM for disposal instructions at) at 401-222-1360 ( Resource Recovery Corporation (ECO-DEPOT) at 401-942-1430
x241. |
|
VT |
Any spill amount that causes a threat to human health or the
environment should be reported to DEC at 800-641-5005 |
For instructions or assistance for spills that are not
reportable, call |
Dispose of mercury debris and products through your local
Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection program or through a hazardous
waste transporter. For information,
contact |
For
additional information:
Agency for Toxic Substances and
Disease Registry, “Most Frequently Asked Health Questions About Mercury,” http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts46.html
Agency for Toxic Substances and
Disease Registry, “Public Health Statement about Mercury,” http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/phs46.html
Ceaser, A.V. “Mercury Spills
Require Special Clean Up Methods, Protection,” Environmental Solutions, January
1996, pp. 36-37.
Galuszka, Michael E. “Elemental
Mercury Spills: Responses to Releases in Residential, Industrial and
New Hampshire Department of
Health and Human Services, “Elemental Mercury in Schools,” http://www.dhhs.state.nh.us/DHHS/HLTHRISKASSESS/LIBRARY/Fact+Sheet/F6.htm
References
used to prepare the first draft:
Connecticut Department of
Environmental Protection, “Guidance for Managing Broken Mercury Fever
Thermometers”
EPA, “Mercury – Emergency Spill
& Release Facts”
Indiana Department of
Environmental Management, “Mercury Spill Information and Clean Up Guidance”
Maine Department of Environmental
Protection, “Spills and Broken Thermometers”
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, “Mercury
Spill Clean Up”
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, “Cleaning Up Mercury
Spills”
New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, “Cleaning up
Household Spills of Elemental Mercury”
New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, “Guidelines
for the Safe Clean Up of Mercury Spilled at Home”
Vermont Department of Health, “Mercury” (includes spill clean up
information)
A. Capri and YF Chen.
Gaseous elemental mercury as an indoor air pollutant. Environmental Science Technology, Vol
35:4170-4173, 2001.
NEWMOA
is a non-profit interstate governmental association involving the state waste
management and pollution prevention Program Directors from the environmental
agencies in