You will not be able to see the mercury. Follow these instructions. Oregon Response System spills of one pound or more : or Oregon Poison Control: Your browser is out-of-date! It has known security flaws and may not display all features of this and other websites. Learn how. Skip to main content. Broken thermometers or thermostats The small amount of elemental mercury in fever thermometers and thermostats is not likely to cause serious health problems if it is immediately cleaned up.
Follow these instructions: Immediately after the spill: If the spill is more than one pound about three tablespoons , do not attempt to clean it up by yourself. Call Oregon Response System at or Short-term inhalation of mercury vapour causes coughing, breathlessness and chest tightness within a few hours of exposure. Short-term exposure of the eyes to mercury vapour may cause inflammation and eyelid tremor.
If you spill a small amount of mercury, such as from a broken fever thermometer or barometer, you can safety clean it up yourself by following these steps. Breaking a fluorescent light globe or tube is different from breaking a thermometer because the amount of mercury is smaller, and the mercury is not as obvious. The bulbs contain a very small amount of mercury about the size of the tip of a ballpoint pen sealed within the glass tubing.
If you break a fluorescent light globe or tube, you can safety clean it up yourself by following these steps:. Some objects found in the home for example, thermostats and pendulum clock counterweights and some medical equipment for example, sphygmomanometers can contain more than two tablespoons of mercury.
Breaking these types of items is considered a large spill. Because of the large amount of mercury contained in these items, there is the potential for greater exposure to mercury vapour during clean-up activities.
If you spill a large amount of mercury, follow these steps to protect yourself. Note that you should not clean up large mercury spills yourself. For more information about the harmful effects of mercury, call the Poisons Information Centre or speak to your local doctor. To dispose of mercury-containing items for example, spent fluorescent lamps , contact Sustainability Victoria or see the Australian Government Department of the Environment website.
Skip to main content. Home Public health Environmental health Environmental health in the home Mercury spills and safe clean-up. Mercury spills and safe clean-up. On this page. Key messages Mercury and its effect on health Mercury spills — cleaning up a small spill Fluorescent light globe or tube — cleaning up a broken item Mercury spills — cleaning up a large spill Mercury hazards — more information.
Key messages Mercury is a silvery-white liquid metal found in a number of household items. Breathing in mercury vapours can be hazardous to your health. If you spill a small amount of mercury, you can safely clean it up yourself by following some simple steps.
Pharmacists may also have it. Note: Powdered sulfur may stain fabrics a dark color. When using powdered sulfur, do not breathe in the powder as it can be moderately toxic. Additionally, users should read and understand product information before use. Place all materials used with the cleanup, including gloves, in a trash bag.
Place all mercury beads and objects into the trash bag. Place the trash bag outside in a secured area and label it as directed by your local health or fire department. Contact your local health department, municipal waste authority, or your local fire department to find out how to conduct proper disposal in accordance with local, state and federal laws.
Remember to keep the area well ventilated to the outside i. You may want to request the services of a contractor who has monitoring equipment to screen for mercury vapors. Consult your local environmental or health agency to inquire about contractors in your area. If sickness occurs, seek medical attention immediately. Exposure to mercury can occur when people handle or play with the liquid metal, or when a measuring device breaks and mercury beads scatter onto floors or other surfaces.
Spilled mercury is very hard to clean up, especially if it rolls into cracks and crevices, or if it is on fabric, upholstery or other porous material. Avoid contact with the spilled mercury until you decide who will be cleaning it up - you or a professional. In general, you can clean up a small mercury spill yourself, such as from a fever thermometer or thermostat. This fact sheet provides a step-by-step guide on pages on how to do the cleanup. The New York State Departments of Health and Environmental Conservation recommend that a trained professional, such as a hazardous waste contractor, do the cleanup whenever the amount of mercury spilled is greater than what is typically found in a fever thermometer or thermostat.
In other words, if the amount of mercury spilled exceeds 3 grams or about the size of a green pea, a trained professional should do the cleanup.
If the spill is Check your telephone Yellow Pages under "Hazardous waste", "Engineering services" or "Environmental engineers". If in doubt
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