Background Information for Educators
Table of Contents
Introduction
Why Mercury Education? 2
How to Use the Toolkit 2
Please Provide Feedback on the Toolkit! 3
Correlations to National Standards 4
Focus on Mercury — General Information
Sources and Occurrence 6
Past and Present Uses 6
Mercury Health Issues 7
Exposure from Cultural and Religious Uses 8
Special and Unique Properties of Mercury 11
Mercury in Schools
Mercury Awareness for School Teachers 12
Portions of this document were reprinted from "Mercury in Schools and the Community: A
National Issue, "2002, by the University of Wisconsin Extension with permission of the
University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents.
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INTRODUCTION
Why Mercury Education?
Mercury is a naturally occurring and widely used element that can cause
health and ecological problems when released to the environment through
human activities. Though a national and even international issue, the
health and environmental impacts of mercury are best understood when studied at
the local level. Use the material in this toolkit to help your students learn about the
health and environmental concerns associated with mercury, find out where it is in
their school and homes, and help school officials and family members do something
about it.
How to Use the Toolkit
"Mercury: An Educator's Toolkit" contains a variety of activities, educational videos,
and other information designed to enhance students' understanding and
appreciation of mercury and its potential health hazards. Depending on the needs
of their curriculum, educators can select material from the most appropriate
sections of the toolkit. This document, "Background Information for Educators,"
will assist teachers in considering the types of mercury information that best meet
the needs of their students.
The following are notes on specific sections of the toolkit.
Educational Videos (Disks 1 and 2) - Consists of seven videos of varying length that
are targeted to different age groups.
Teacher's Guide to Videos (Disk 3) - Provides notes to help interpret the take-home
messages from the educational videos. This document also describes the
appropriate age group and length of each video.
How to Take Action (Disk 3) - Advises school faculty and staff on how to react to
accidental or deliberate releases of mercury and where to find assistance when
removing mercury and mercury-containing devices from school property. Also
contains a guide to replacing mercury and mercury-containing devices with non-
hazardous, mercury-free alternatives.
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Student Activities (Disk 3) - Includes documents containing age-appropriate
individual and group activities for elementary, middle, and high school students.
Teachers may engage their students with any combination of activities. For middle
and high school students, the Mercury I.Q. Test (Activity 1) is a good place to start
to assess what they already know about mercury.
Mercury Brochures (Disk 3) — Includes six-sided, tri-fold brochures for elementary,
middle, and high school students that communicate key points about why mercury
can be dangerous, where it is found, and how to react if a spill occurs.
PowerPoint Presentations (Disk 3) — Includes short presentations in Microsoft
PowerPoint intended for delivery to middle and high school audiences via projector.
Communicates key points about why mercury can be dangerous, where it is found,
and how to react if a spill occurs.
Please Provide Feedback on the Toolkit!
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency would like your feedback on the
educational material in this toolkit. After you have had an opportunity to use the
material with students, please follow the link below to answer a five-minute series
of questions regarding usefulness of the content and any areas for improvement.
http://www.eDa.gov/region07/mercury/. Then click on "Feedback Survey" under the
topic "Mercury: An Educator's Toolkit."
Your input as an educator is much appreciated. Thank you!
CAUTION: Under no circumstances should anyone bring elemental mercury into a
classroom without proper clearance and handling procedures.
EPA Region 7
901 N. 5th Street
Kansas City, KS 66101
Phone: (800) 223-0425
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Correlations to National Standards
The teaching activities included in this package are interdisciplinary and have been correlated to
the National Science Education Standards, the Curriculum Standards for Social Studies, and
the U.S. Education Standards for Physical Education and Health Standards.
Only Grade 12 standards were considered. The Content Standard is listed first for the Social
Studies and Physical Education and Health Standards and refers to what students should know
and be able to do. The Performance Standard is then listed and tells how students will show
they are meeting a standard. Only the Content Standard is listed for the Science Standards.
Direct relationships only are listed and apply only to the main student activity.
U.S. Education Standards - Physical Education and Health Standards
NPH-H.9-12.1 Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention—
• Analyze how behavior can impact health maintenance and disease prevention.
Activity 2
• Explain the impact of personal health behaviors on the functioning of body systems.
Activity 2
NPH-H.9-12.3 Reducing Health Risks
Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health enhancing behaviors and reduce
health risks—
• Evaluate a personal health assessment to determine strategies for health
enhancement and risk reduction.
Activities 3, 4
• Analyze the short-term and long-term consequences of safe, risky and harmful
behaviors.
Activity 2
Science Standards
Content Standard A: Science as Inquiry
As a result of activities in grades 9-12, all students should develop
• Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry.
Activities 3, 4, 5
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Content Standard B: Physical Science
As a result of activities in grades 9-12, all students should develop an understanding of
• Structure and properties of matter.
Activity 2
Content Standard F: Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
As a result of activities in grades 9-12, all students should develop an understanding of
• Personal and community health.
Activity 2
• Natural and human-induced hazards.
Activity 2
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Focus On Mercury - General Information
Sources and Occurrence of Mercury
(Excerpted and adapted by permission from "Mercury:
Get Mad Now, Not Later," a 1994 fact sheet by the
Western Lake Superior Sanitary District)
Mercury, also known as quicksilver because
it is a silver-colored liquid at room
temperature, is an element that does not
break down. It occurs naturally and is found
in very small amounts in oceans, rocks and
soils. It becomes airborne when rocks
erode, volcanoes erupt and soil
decomposes. It then circulates in the
atmosphere and is redistributed throughout
the environment in three forms: elemental
mercury, organic mercury, and inorganic
mercury.
Mercury also enters the environment from
many human sources. Burning coal as fuel
or incinerating mercury-containing garbage
releases mercury to the atmosphere. Once
in the air, mercury can fall to the ground
with rain and snow, landing on soils or water
bodies, causing contamination.
Lakes and rivers are also contaminated
when there is a direct discharge of mercury-
laden industrial waste or municipal sewage.
Once present in these water bodies,
mercury in its organic form accumulates in
fish and might ultimately reach the dinner
table.
Past and Present Uses of Mercury
Elemental mercury has
many unique and
interesting properties
that humans have
utilized for thousands of
years in a wide variety
of applications.
Historical uses, which
are no longer prevalent,
included preparing felt
for hats, controlling
mildew in paints, killing weeds as a
component of herbicides, and various
medical uses such as teething powder,
antiseptic ointments and syphilis treatment.
Its toxic effects on workers in hat factories in
the late 1800s led to the term "mad as a
hatter." Mercury is still used for folk
medicine and ceremonial purposes in
several cultures; see page 7 for more
information.
Today, mercury is used in industrial
processes, hospitals, dental offices, schools
and homes. In the home, mercury can be
found in fluorescent lights, thermostats,
thermometers, and even some children's
toys. At school, mercury might be in science
and chemistry classrooms, the nurse's
office and electrical systems. School and
home mercury audit activities in this
package provide more detailed information
on where to find mercury and what to do
about it.
See Page 10 for a list of the unique and
interesting properties that have made
mercury a widely used element in society.
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Mercury Health Issues
Two different forms of mercury are of
human health concern. Elemental mercury,
which is most toxic in its gas form,
vaporizes slowly at room temperature and
more quickly when heated. Children playing
with elemental mercury can be seriously
poisoned by breathing the invisible vapor
from mercury spilled in carpeting, furniture
or other surfaces.
The other form of mercury that presents
health concerns is organic mercury.
Elemental and inorganic mercury can be
transformed into organic mercury by the
bacteria in the bottom mud in water bodies.
Unlike elemental mercury, organic mercury
(often referred to as "methyl mercury") can
be readily absorbed in humans. The most
likely source of methyl mercury exposure is
eating contaminated fish, which can result in
long-term damage to the kidney, liver and
central nervous system. Young children and
developing fetuses are most at risk.
Organic mercury tends to increase up the
food chain, particularly in lakes. The mud at
the bottom of a lake might have 100 or
1,000 times the amount of mercury that is in
the water. Worms and insects in the mud
extract and concentrate the organic
mercury. Small fish that eat these critters
further concentrate the mercury in their
bodies. This concentration process, known
as "bioaccumulation," continues as larger
fish eat smaller fish until the top predator
fish in the lake might have methyl mercury
levels in their tissues that are up to 1 million
times the methyl mercury level in the water
in which they live.
Most states advise anglers and their
families to reduce their consumption of
certain types and sizes of fish either
statewide or for individual water bodies.
Certain types of fish in the supermarket also
have elevated mercury levels. The U.S.
MERCURY
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Food and Drug Administration has issued
consumption advisories relating to mercury
for mackerel, swordfish, tilefish, and tuna.
Mercury and Children's Health
The greatest risk of mercury poisoning is for
fetuses and young children because their
nervous systems are still developing. They
are four or five times more sensitive to
mercury than adults. Damage occurring
before birth or in infancy can cause a child
to be late in beginning to walk and talk, and
might cause lifelong learning problems.
Unborn children can be seriously affected
even though the methyl mercury causes no
symptoms in their mothers.
For more information about the health
effects of mercury in children, call the
Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty
Unit at (800) 421-9916.
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Mercury Exposure from Cultural and Religious Practices
Certain Afro-Caribbean and Latin American traditions followed in the United States, including
Santeria, Palo, voodoo, and Espiritismo, incorporate the use of elemental mercury in folk
medicine and religious practice. Mercury is sold in many botanicas— stores specializing in
herbal remedies and religious items used in these traditions. Its typical use in small and
enclosed spaces, combined with the fact that small amounts of mercury can remain for long
periods of time, create the potential for very high direct exposures to individuals. Despite that
these religious traditions have been well studied by anthropologists and sociologists, and many
medical anthropologists have documented the use of potentially toxic remedies in folk medicine,
little attention has been focused on the health implications of toxic substances used in religious
rituals and spells.
Availability and extent of use
Several surveys have attempted to characterize mercury use in Latin American and Afro
Caribbean communities. Metallic mercury is available at botanicas in New York, New Jersey,
and Pennsylvania, but botanica personnel often deny having mercury for sale when approached
by outsiders to these religious and cultural traditions. Actions by public health authorities have
driven the mercury trade underground in some locations. In a survey of New York City
botanicas, 93 percent reported selling elemental mercury (about one to four capsules per day).
A survey of 115 botanicas in 13 cities in the United States and Puerto Rico found that 99 of
them sold mercury. Another survey of 203 Caribbean and Latin American adults in the New
York City area found that 44 percent of Caribbean and 27 percent of Latin American
respondents reported using mercury.
Uses
Mercury is typically sold in capsules that contain, on average, about 8 or 9 g (0.3 oz.) of
elemental mercury. The most common method of use reported by botanica personnel
Mercury necklace
was to carry mercury on the person in a sealed pouch (49 percent) or in a pocket (32 percent)
as an amulet; sprinkling mercury in the home was mentioned by 29 percent. Proprietors
reported that family members, friends, spiritualists, and card readers recommend mercury to
store patrons to bring luck in love, money, or health and to ward off evil. A survey of Latin
American and Caribbean New York residents found that burning mercury in a candle, mixing it
with perfume, and sprinkling it in the car were also frequently reported uses. Of 28 New York
botanicas visited during another survey, 13 prescribed sprinkling mercury on the floor. Mercury
poisoning has also been documented in Mexican-American infants fed mercury as a folk
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remedy for gastroenteritis. Medical anthropologist Robert Trotter identified the use of mercury,
as well as lead oxides, for the treatment of empacho, a digestive illness.
Impact
Living spaces may become contaminated with mercury as a result of these practices. Removal
of elemental mercury from floorboards and carpets is difficult, if not completely impractical.
These mercury practices can be a direct source of contamination not only to the users, but also
to their families, people living in adjacent apartments, and any future residents of the premises.
The potential liability to present and future landlords is significant, because current and
prospective homeowners might raise concerns about health risks related to prior mercury use
on the premises. In addition, much of the mercury used in folk medicine and religious practice
might be disposed of improperly. One survey found that 64 percent of mercury users in a study
reported throwing mercury in the garbage, 27 percent flushed it down the toilet, and 9 percent
threw it outdoors. Preliminary interviews with mercury users indicated a lack of knowledge about
the inhalation pathway as the primary route of mercury exposure. People seem to know that
mercury is toxic and avoid touching or eating it in most cases, but they do not seem to know
about how quickly it turns into vapor (gas form) and the inhalation exposure risks associated
with that. Several local and national education efforts have been undertaken in the past.
Community involvement, outreach, and education
It is important to recognize the role of botanicas in providing culturally congruent health
interventions in their communities, because botanicas represent a critical link to health care
services in Latin American and Afro-Caribbean communities. Botanicas are the first place many
turn for general health care services in Latin American and Caribbean communities; any public
health interventions to reduce mercury exposure must work with spiritualists, Santeros, and
botanica proprietors. Working cooperatively with botanicas to promote effective substitutes and
institute labeling for mercury is more likely to be effective than an adversarial enforcement
approach that essentially criminalizes cultural practices. Outreach in Afro-Caribbean and Latin
American communities is a must. Such outreach and education will be most effective if they are
coordinated with an effort to characterize the ways mercury use and its hazards are understood
in the communities, so that communications can address any gaps in knowledge and provide
the most important information to mercury users.
This information was adapted from:
"Assessing Elemental Mercury Vapor Exposure from Cultural and Religious Practices;" Donna
M. Riley, C. Alison Newby, Tomas O. Leal-Almeraz, Valerie M. Thomas; published in
Environmental Health Perspectives, Volume 109, Number 8, August 2001.
July 4, 2001 Posted: 5:51 AM EOT
Thai diners told steer clear of 'toxic' shark fin
BANGKOK, Thailand - The health ministry in Thailand is urging diners to stay away from
shark fin soup following reports that the increasingly popular delicacy
may contain dangerously high levels of mercury.
On Tuesday a report by environmental pressure group Wild Aid said shark
fins found on sale in Thailand contained levels of the heavy metal as much as 42 times the level
considered safe for human consumption. Responding to the report, Deputy Public Health
Minister Surapong Suebwonglee told Thai television Wednesday that officials were collecting
samples of the soup from various restaurants and would be conducting tests over the coming
days. He said that until safety tests had been completed diners should avoid eating the dish.
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Pressure groups have been calling for a halt to the growing trade in shark fins across Asia
which they say is cruel, wasteful and having a devastating effect on the shark population. Shark
fin soup has been growing in popularity across East Asia where, because of its high price, it is
considered a prestigious dish to order at business occasions, weddings and other banquets.
Soaring demand
In Hong Kong, a world center for the shark fin trade, a single bowl of soup can cost more than
US$100. To feed this demand, environmentalists say, millions of sharks are killed each year for
the fin trade, most of them taken from waters in the Asia-Pacific region. Wild Aid says that
between 1980 and 1997 trade in shark fins more than doubled to 7,000 tons annually. The
majority of the sharks are pulled from the sea, have their fins hacked off, and are then thrown
back into the water where - unable to swim without their fins -- they drown. Environmentalists
say sharks perform a vital function at the head of the food chain and dwindling shark
populations will have a serious effect on the marine eco-system.
Bulked out
In conducting its survey, Wild Aid said it had tested samples from 10 fins bought from three
dealers in Bangkok's Chinatown. It said all contained dangerously high levels of mercury and
were also pumped full of as yet unidentified chemicals. The report said that the need to bulk out
fins in this way was a further sign that the shark numbers were decreasing. News that fins may
contain dangerously high levels of toxins is being seen as adding further weight to
environmentalists' campaigns to stem the trade. Already pressure from such groups had
persuaded a number of Asian airlines to stop serving the soup to their business and first class
passengers, and last year Taiwanese officials vowed to ban dishes made with shark fins from
official banquets. In any case, campaigners say, the fins contain no nutritional value and have
little themselves in the way of taste. They say that basically what diners are eating is cartilage,
the same material that makes up fingernails or hair.
Even though they are considered a prestigious
dish, shark fin consumption poses a threat to consumers and to shark populations.
This article was taken from cnn.com.
10
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Special and Unique Properties of Mercury
Even though mercury looks like something from outer space, it is a naturally occurring
element that can be found on a periodic table. (Periodic symbol: Hg)
Special or Unique Properties
of Mercury
• Only metal that is liquid at room
temperature.
• Easily evaporates into the air.
• Very dense, yet fluid.
Density = 13.546 g/crm
(Density of water = 1 .00 g/crm)
• Good conductor of electricity.
• Expands and contracts uniformly with
changes in temperature.
• Readily combines (amalgamates) with
other metals.
• Kills bacteria and fungi.
So What?
• Holds fascination for people of all ages.
Special uses in several different cultures.
• A blob of mercury sitting on the table will
eventually disappear. The mercury vapors
can be extremely dangerous to breathe.
• Just a little bit weighs a lot, yet moves
around easily. This is useful in certain
medical procedures.
• Used in electrical "tilt" switches and other
electrical devices.
• Used in thermometers and thermostats.
• Dentists use a combination of mercury
and silver, called "amalgam," which is used
to fill cavities in teeth.
• Previously used in pesticides, paints, and
even on people to kill germs!
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Mercury Awareness for School Teachers
WHAT is MERCURY?
Mercury is a silvery liquid metal at room
temperature. Mercury conducts electricity,
expands uniformly with temperature and
easily forms alloys with other metals. For
these reasons, it is used in many products
found in homes and schools. Mercury is
also an element that occurs naturally in
the earth's surface. It does not degrade
and is not destroyed by combustion.
Instead, mercury changes into a vapor
that can travel long distances when
volatilized. Mercury cycles between soils,
the atmosphere and surface waters.
Its toxicity can endanger living organisms
and produce adverse health effects in
humans.
WHY is MERCURY A CONCERN?
Many incidents occur that involve spilling
mercury in schools, school buses or
school property that cause alarm and
require cleanup.
Sometimes mercury
comes from inside
the school, and
sometimes mercury
is brought into the
school from the community. Mercury that
is spilled or spread through a school
creates an immediate health issue and
might require expensive cleanup and
monitoring.
Spilled mercury can spread long
distances and settle in cracks and porous
materials like cloth, carpet or wood, slowly
emitting vapors over a long period of time.
Mercury vapor is colorless, odorless and
tasteless. Short-term exposure to a high
concentration of mercury
or mercury vapors can
lead to nausea, shortness
of breath, bronchitis,
migraine headaches, and
fatigue. Long-term
exposure to mercury can result in damage
to the nervous system, kidneys and liver.
Symptoms include tremors, numbness in
the fingers and toes, loss of muscle
control, memory loss and kidney disease.
Children, fetuses, and women of
childbearing age are the most at risk for
mercury poisoning.
Mercury is also a concern in the
environment. Improper disposal of
mercury-containing products is one way
that mercury is released into the air, land
and water. Mercury easily enters its vapor
form and can travel long distances.
Mercury that reaches lakes, rivers and
streams can be
converted by bacteria
in the water to its
organic form, methyl
mercury. Methyl mercury builds up in
wildlife tissue, especially in fish. As larger
fish eat smaller fish, the mercury
concentrates as it travels up the food
chain, and it eventually creates a risk for
people who eat certain fish.
It does not take a lot of mercury to have
negative environmental consequences.
Researchers estimate that if one gram of
mercury—one-seventieth of a teaspoon—
enters a 20-acre lake every year from the
atmosphere, that minute amount is
enough to raise mercury levels in the fish.
Methyl mercury in large fish can be
thousands of times greater than levels in
the surrounding water.
12
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WHAT CAN SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS
DO TO REDUCE THE PRESENCE OF
MERCURY IN SCHOOLS?
School faculty and staff can
> Help educate students, other
teachers and administrators about
the health hazards and
environmental fate of mercury;
> promote proper management and
recycling of mercury and mercury-
containing products;
> eliminate the use of mercury
wherever possible at schools;
> prevent mercury spills and know
what to do if a spill occurs;
> promote the use of alternative
products that do not contain
mercury; and
> promote energy efficiency.
LEARN MORE ABOUT MERCURY
Teachers can educate students
about mercury by including it
as part of their lesson plans. One of the
best resources is the Mercury in Schools
Pollution Prevention project, located at
http://www.mercuryinschools.uwex.edu
REDUCE THE USE OF MERCURY AND
MERCURY-CONTAINING PRODUCTS
To reduce the presence of mercury at
school, you have to know where to find it.
Interestingly, mercury can be found in a
lot of places, some obvious and some you
would not expect. You would expect to
find mercury in science classrooms and
the laboratory, but you can also find it
throughout the school, in the cafeteria and
in the nurse's office. It is worthwhile for
schools to replace mercury-containing
equipment or choose to purchase
products that contain less mercury to
reduce the long-term impact on the
environment. Pollution prevention
examines the causes of waste and
pollution to figure out the best way to
reduce it. Pollution prevention avoids
generating pollution at the source rather
than trying to control it afterwards. This
is also called "source reduction." Always
reduce waste before recycling. Avoid
products containing mercury if substitutes
are available.
Classrooms, facilities and grounds
School classrooms and facilities might
have mercury-containing thermostats,
thermometers, barometers and silent wall
switches. It is simple and economical to
find mercury-free alternatives for these
devices. Approximately
75 percent of thermostats
contain mercury.
Electronic devices are
often excellent
alternatives, though many digital devices
might have mercury-containing batteries.
It is best to use devices that allow you to
replace the batteries with batteries free of
mercury.
The lamps in the gymnasium and parking
lot are generally referred to as high
intensity discharge (HID) lamps, and they
contain mercury. Even fluorescent and
neon lamps have some mercury.
However, greater energy efficiency of
fluorescent lamps reduces the amount of
mercury discharged by power plants
generating electricity. There are also low-
mercury alternatives that contain less
mercury than older lamps.
Other items that contain mercury include
button cell batteries and old microwave
ovens that could be in the school's
cafeteria. Newer microwaves do not
contain mercury. Batteries now contain
much less mercury, but the mercury
content is still worth considering. Button
batteries might contain up to 25 milligrams
of mercury per battery. Some lithium
13
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button batteries might be free of mercury.
It is always best to send old lamps and
batteries to a recycling facility.
The janitorial and grounds staff also
needs to be aware of the materials they
are using. Old latex paint produced before
1992 might contain mercury to act as a
fungicide. Pesticides produced before
1994 might also contain mercury. If old
mercury containing paints or pesticides
are still at the school, dispose of them
properly as hazardous waste. Newer
paints and pesticides do not contain
mercury.
Laboratories
Unlike other
classrooms,
laboratories
might have a lot of thermometers, air
pressure gauges, mercury compounds
and elemental mercury for use by the
students. Mercury might have been used
historically in a school's laboratory, and
the laboratory might still have containers
of mercury or mercury compounds in
storage.
There are several mercury-free
thermometers available, including red
alcohol and digital thermometers.
Generally, alcohol or electronic
thermometers are sufficiently accurate
and readily available. If mercury is used in
experiments, often it is possible to use
other chemicals to illustrate the same
chemistry principles or do microscale
experiments to reduce the amount of
materials necessary and reduce the need
to have large quantities of mercury at the
school. If mercury is used as part of the
curriculum, make sure to have a mercury
spill kit available and staff trained in its
use.
Nurse's Office
The nurse's office might have the
most elemental mercury in the school,
including thermometer and blood pressure
measuring devices. Blood pressure
gauges might contain several pounds of
mercury. Aneroid blood pressure devices
and digital thermometers are available
and are as accurate as mercury-
containing ones. There are also nasal
sprays and contact lens solutions that
contain thimerosal, phenyl mercuric
acetate or phenyl mercuric nitrate. These
compounds all have mercury in them and
can be replaced with mercury-free
alternatives.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Electricity generation is the largest source
of mercury emissions in the United States.
Practicing energy conservation by using
energy efficient products and practices
reduces the amount of mercury released
by power plants and reduces the amounts
of other pollutants released as well.
Energy efficiency also reduces carbon
dioxide, sulphur oxide
and nitrogen oxide
releases and makes
good economic sense.
PROPER MANAGEMENT AND RETIREMENT OF
MERCURY-CONTAINING DEVICES
Many mercury-containing products can be
recycled. Mercury metal, thermostats,
batteries, thermometers and fluorescent
lights are some products that can and
should be safely recycled.
14
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IN CASE OF A SPILL
School faculty and staff can reduce the
risk of a mercury spill by being aware of
mercury products and properly
maintaining and replacing such products
with mercury-free alternatives. If a spill
does occur, it is important to have a plan
to address it.
The safest and best way to clean up a
mercury spill is by hiring a licensed
professional contractor. When mercury
spills or an item containing mercury
breaks, carefully evacuate the area
around the spill and move students to a
different room. Mercury and its vapors are
very difficult to remove from clothes,
carpet, floors, walls, and furniture. Keep
everyone away from the area to prevent
them from inhaling the mercury, because
it can evaporate quickly.
Never wear shoes or clothing that are
contaminated with mercury, because it is
absorbed in cloth and easily spread from
one place to another. If possible, open
windows to ventilate the spill area to the
outdoors. Close the doors and place signs
prohibiting entry on the entrances to the
affected rooms. Contact the school
maintenance personnel to turn off heating
and air-conditioning systems and fans.
This will help avoid circulating
contaminated air to other rooms.
NEVER clean up a spill with a vacuum
cleaner. This contaminates the vacuum
and circulates mercury into the air. Do not
use brooms or paintbrushes to clean up,
because mercury will disperse into
smaller beads and be harder to collect.
This information in this section was adapted
from "Mercury for School Teachers", Ohio EPA,
Office of Pollution Prevention, June 2001.
http://www. epa. state, oh. us/opp/schooltl.pdf
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