Mercury-free and Non-hazardous Alternat ves for Schools
Your school might contain mercury and other hazardous materials that have been
used in the past or might still be used for teaching and other purposes. Hazardous
materials can be found in many areas, including science labs, art rooms,
maintenance areas, nurses' offices, and home economics rooms. They might be
dangerous because of their toxic, flammable or reactive properties. If these
materials are being handled, stored or disposed of improperly, they can pose a risk
to students, staff and the environment.
This fact sheet is designed to help schools identify and find alternatives to mercury
and other hazardous materials that might be present in your facilities. There are
many adequate substitutes that exist for devices used in schools that contain
mercury.
to bod Class, IK jstrial Arts Class, and Wood and Metal Shops
Item
Mercury gauges
Manometers, carburetor synchronizers,
other pressure-measuring devices
Switches in electrical equipment, relays,
boilers, cooling and heating equipment,
mercury-containing wall-mounted light
switches manufactured before 1991 ("silent"
switches)
Solvent based products
Lubricants
Wood preservatives with pentachlorophenol
Alternative
Electronic or aneroid gauges
Aneroid and electronic manometers and analog
gauges (also known as vacuum gauges)
Mercury-free switches, temperature devices, and
relays; and gas equipment with electronic
ignitions
Water-based or bio-based solvents
Bio-based lubricants
Untreated wood and non-wood alternatives
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Item
Elemental mercury
Mercury barometer
Mercury compounds
Mercury (II) chloride
Mercury iodine
Mercury nitrate
Mercury oxide
Mercury (II) sulfate
Mercury gas law apparatus
Mercury hydrometer
Mercury hygrometer
Mercury lab thermometer
Mercury molecular motion device
Mercury sling psychomotor
Hg spectral tube
Mercury vacuum gauge
Zenker's solution (mercury chloride)
Colormetric chloride analysis
Residual mercury may be present in drains,
traps, and catch basins
Formaldehyde or formalin
Solvents
Alternative
Aneroid and digital; new liquid one is being
developed
Magnesium chloride/sulfuric acid or zinc
Formalin
Freeze Drying
Phenate method
Ammonia/copper sulfate, neosporin, mycin
Copper catalyst silver
Nitrate/potassium/chromium (III) sulfate
A simple Charles' Law apparatus may suffice.
Spirit-filled glass bulb , digital and aneroid
Alcohol and mineral spirits glass bulb, and digital
Mineral spirits glass bulb thermometers, some
can fit in old frames
16 alternative gases are available
Needle or digital gauge
Zinc formalin
Ion-selective electrode method
Properly clean traps and basins. Recycle mercury.
Formaldehyde-free preservatives
Water-based or bio-based solvents
,or
Item
Mercury thermostats
Mercury U-tubes
Mercury switches
Mercury thermostat probes
Float switches
Alternative
Air-controlled, reed switch, vapor-filled
diaphragm, snap-switch and programmable
electronic (digital)
Electronic and aneroid gauges
Hard-contact switches, solid-state switches,
electro-optical switches, inductive sensors,
capacitive sensors, photoelectric sensors, and
ultrasonic sensors
Electric flame sensors, electronic ignition
Magnetic dry reed switches, optic sensors, and
mechanical switches
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Home Economics C assrooms
Item
Mercury cooking thermometer
Washing machine (power shut off)
Freezer light
Flame sensor on gas oven
Steam iron with 15 minuet shut-off (tilt switch
contains mercury)
Alternative
Spirit-filled glass bulb,
and digital
Mechanical switch
Mechanical switch
Electronic ignition
Iron with non-mercury switch
Art Class'ooms
Item
Cadmium vermillion red paint
Ceramic glazes
Dyes (cold water and commercial)
Inhalation hazards (e.g., clay in dry form,
powdered pains, glazes, pigments, wheat paste,
and aerosol products)
Instant papier-mache
Solvent-based glues
Solvent-based paints
Permanent markers
Polymer clay (designed to harden at
conventional oven temperatures)
Low- temperature modeling clays (may contains
glycol ethers or primary phthalate ethers)
True vermillion paint (contains mercury
sulfide)
Wood stains
Moth repellants (for textiles)
Pigments used in printing inks, oils paints, and
other media
Solders for silver jewelry
Stained-glass solders
Alternative
Mercury-free and cadmium-free paint
Lead and cadmium free glazes
Vegetable dyes
Wet or liquid non-aerosol products
Papier-mache made from black and whit
newspaper and library or white paste or flour and
water paste
Water-based glues
Water-based paints
Water-based markers
Paper-based, flour-based or wax-based clays
Paper-based, flour-based or wax-based clays
Mercury-free paint
Water-based wood stains
Cedar chips, eucalyptus oil
Cadmium-free, lead-free and mercury-free
alternatives are available
Cadmium-free solder for silver jewelry
Lead-free solder
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Medical Technology Classrooms and School Med cal Offices
Item
Fever thermometers
Blood pressure devices
Topical disinfectants containing
mercurochrome or tincture of mertiolate
Contact lens solution containing
thimerosol, phenyl mercuric acetate or
phenyl mercuric nitrate
Nasal sprays containing themerosol, phenyl
mercuric acetate or phenyl mercuric nitrate
Alternative
Digital, gallium-indium-tin thermometers, dot
matrix thermometers, alcohol thermometers
Digital or aneroid
Alcohol or hydrogen peroxide
Thimerosol-free, phenyl mercuric acetate-free or
phenyl mercuric nitrate-free contact lens solution
Thimerosol-free phenyl mercuric acetate-free or
phenyl mercuric nitrate-free nasal sprays
Non-educational Items Containing Mercury
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Item
Thermostats
Fluorescent lamps
Mercury vapor lamps
Metal halide lamps
High-pressure vapor sodium lamps
Mercury gauges
Light switches ("silent" switches)
Mercury switches and relays
Mercury thermostat probes and flame
sensors
Old latex paint (purchased prior to 1992)
Fungicides (purchased prior to 1994)
Pesticides (purchased prior to 1994)
Alternative
Air-controlled, reed switch, vapor-filled
diaphragm, snap-switch and programmable
electronic (digital)
No alternative; properly recycle
No alternative; properly recycle
No alternative; properly recycle
No alternative; properly recycle
Electronic or aneroid gauges
New light switches don't contain mercury
Switches and relays with electronic ignition
Hard-contact switches, inductive sensors,
capacitive sensors, photoelectric sensors, and
ultrasonic sensors
Properly dispose
Properly dispose
Properly dispose
The content of this section was adapted from "Mercury-free Alternatives for Schools, " Illinois
Environmental Protection Agency, November 2002. Doc #IEPA/OPP/11-2002.
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