How can I be exposed?
1. When mercury is not contained properly, its
vapors get into the air, and you will breathe
the vapors in, absorbing most of the
mercury.
2. Mercury can be absorbed through the skin.
3. When swallowed, small amounts of liquid
mercury is absorbed into your blood.
Mercury vapor is especially dangerous because it
can get into carpets, curtains, furniture, and cracks
in the floors. It can stay there for months or years,
slowly letting off more vapors.
Children are more at risk for mercury exposure
because it settles near the floor where children
breathe the vapors or eat the droplets.
What are the health effects?
Mercury can cause permanent damage to
your brain and central nervous system,
resulting in behavioral or learning
problems. It is especially dangerous for
" young children and fetuses, whose brains
are still developing. The health effects
depend on how much is absorbed and for
how long a person is exposed.
It may take a long time for noticeable
symptoms to develop. These include:
shaky hands
/ redness or swelling of the mouth or gums
•/ memory loss
/ headache
•/ loss of appetite
Vapors breathed in by pregnant women can harm
the developing fetus. Mercury can also be passed
to a baby through breast milk.
Contacts for More Information:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
http://www.epa.gov/mercury
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/alerts
Contacts for methylmercury in fish:
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (fish
from stores or restaurants) 24-hr toll free
hotline 1-888-SAFE-FOOD
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (fish
you catch yourself in fresh water)
http://www.epa.gov/ost/fish
TEST YOUR MERCURY KNOWLEDGE
1. Mercury is found in:
a) fish
c) school labs
b) fluorescent lights
d) all of the above
2. Mercury poisoning can cause:
a) birth defects b) kidney damage
c) brain damage d) all of the above
3. If you spill 2 tsp. of mercury you should:
a) call Poison Control b) panic
c) wipe it up with a cloth d) vacuum it up
4. Of the following, what is the smallest amount of
mercury that can cause health effects?
a) one gallon b) one pint
c) half a teaspoon d) three tons
5. Liquid mercury is MOST dangerous when:
a) you breathe its vapors b) it is on your skin
c) inside a thermometer d) you swallow it
Off ice of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation
OSWER i 9285.7-74 EPA# EPA-540-K-04-002
April 2004
Protect your Family
from Mercury
in
Home
This pamphlet can answer your
questions about mercury and help you
choose the best ways to protect
yourself and your family.
What is mercury?
Mercury is a silver-gray liquid
metal, that's also known as
"quick silver". It is a
hazardous chemical that,
even in small amounts,
can cause serious health
problems. It can linger
indoors for months or
even years, and it slowly
evaporates into the air. Its vapors
cannot be seen or smelled, but breathing them can
cause harmful effects.
Where is mercury found?
Mercury is used to make many
home products including
thermometers, electrical
switches, fluorescent lights,
thermostats, and batteries.
In some cultural traditions,
mercury is used as a folk
remedy or for spiritual
practice.
Some utility devices in your
home may contain mercury, such as
pressure control units attached to your gas
meter.
Certain instruments used by plumbers can
contain mercury. Sometimes these
instruments can leak or spill in your home.
Certain types of fish contain mercury in a
form known as methylmercury. When we
eat those fish, it is absorbed by our bodies.
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How can I prevent or reduce
exposure?
•/ Make sure your schools and home are
mercury-free, and that your children
recognize mercury and its dangers. For
more information, visit the Mercury in
Schools Website at
http://www.mercuryinschools.uwex.edu
/ Clean up spills properly (see section on
how to clean up mercury).
/" Do not use mercury or mercury-containing
products when substitutes are available.
/ If you do use mercury, keep it sealed from
the air—never take it out of its container.
/" If you store or use mercury, it is best to do it
outside. If you must have it inside, keep it
in unbreakable, disposable containers.
Never put it on the floor, furniture, or
carpet.
/ Get tested to see if you have been exposed.
/" Moderate your fish intake; select species
that are low in mercury. See back panel for
resources on mercury in fish.
/ Contact your local fire or health department
if you find uncontained mercury.
Have I been exposed?
All of us have been exposed to some amount of
mercury during our lives. However, the only way
to know if you have dangerous amounts of
mercury vapor in your home is to have a qualified
professional test the air inside your home with
special equipment. You can also measure the
amount of mercury in your urine or blood with a
laboratory test. You can call your doctor to get
more information on mercury testing.
I have been exposed.
What do I do?
If you have high levels of mercury in your body,
a doctor can prescribe treatments to remove the
mercury.
If you have mercury in your home, you may be
able to clean up small amounts (less than a
teaspoon) by yourself. For more than a teaspoon,
you need professional assistance.
How can I dispose of products
containing mercury?
Counties and municipalities often host hazardous
waste clean-up days or thermometer exchange
programs, during which you can bring in
mercury-containing products for safe disposal.
Call your local fire or health department for more
information.
If the mercury in these devices is not properly
contained, get it out of your house immediately.
Do not wait for a clean-up day. Seek immediate
assistance.
Clean-up or Disposal of Large
Amounts of Mercury
DO NOT clean up larger
amounts of mercury
yourself. For more than
one teaspoon, isolate
the spill area and call
your local fire or
health department.
For more than two
teaspoons call the
National Response
Center (NRC) at (800)
424-8802. The NRC hotline operates 24
hours a day, 7 days per week.
How do I clean up small mercury
spills myself (less than 1
teaspoon)?
Mercury breaks into lots
of tiny beads that
roll around, stick
to surfaces and get
in small cracks.
DO NOT use a
vacuum cleaner,
broom, or mop. They will spread the mercury
around, and draw more mercury vapor into the
air.
DO NOT pour mercury down drains or flush it
down the toilet. It can get trapped and continue
to give off poisonous vapors.
YOU CAN clean small amounts (up to one
teaspoon) from flat surfaces like tile, or linoleum,
using the items listed below. If mercury has been
spilled on carpets, curtains, upholstery or other
absorbent surfaces, throw them away.
Keep children and pets away from the area.
Remove gold jewelry, as mercury can damage it.
You will need:
/" 4-5 zip-lock bags
/ trash bag
/" rubber or latex gloves
/ paper towels
/" cardboard or squeegee
/ eyedropper
/" wide tape
/ flashlight
Instructions:
1. Put on gloves. Clear area of children and
pets to prevent tracking mercury elsewhere.
2. If there is broken glass, pick the pieces up
carefully, place them on a paper towel, put
them in a plastic bag and seal.
3. Use the cardboard or squeegee to collect the
mercury beads together. Use the flashlight
to look all over for remaining beads, which
may be stuck to surfaces or lodged in floor
cracks.
4. Use the eye dropper to draw up the beads.
Slowly squeeze them into a damp
paper towel. Put the towel in a
plastic bag and
5. Use the sticky side
the wide tape to
pick up
remaining
glass and
mercury
beads. Place it
it me towei in a ^^
seal.
;ide of
r
in another plastic bag and seal.
6. Place the cardboard or squeegee into a
plastic bag and seal.
7. Carefully remove the gloves and put them
in a plastic bag and seal.
8. Put all sealed bags into a sealed garbage bag
and dispose of according to local and state
laws. Contact your fire or health
department for more information.
9. Remember to keep a window open (with a
fan blowing out) for 24 hours to ventilate
the area. Continue to keep children and
pets out of the cleanup area. If sickness
occurs, seek medical attention immediately.
10. For more information visit:
http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/
hazwaste/mercurv/spills.htm
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