mercury | Spill Containment Blog

Everything you need to know about mercury spill kits and safe clean up

Mercury may be in thermometers, electrical components or dental fillings

Also referred to as quicksilver, liquid mercury is a highly toxic chemical that’s often found in a variety of workplace devices. Just a few examples include thermometers, barometers, and float valves. Often electric components, like switches and relays, contain mercury. It also remains in use in some fluorescent lighting and dental amalgam fillings. As well as scientific research laboratories, of course.

Have you ever seen this fascinating liquid metal in a school science lab? If so, you’ll remember it’s a completely unique substance to observe. It certainly behaves unlike most fluids or metals at room temperature.

But, it’s due to these unique characteristics that mercury spills require a different clean up approach. In the event of a spill, it’s important to follow proper mercury cleanup procedure. Otherwise, there’s a greater risk of mercury poisoning for anyone who comes into contact with it. Poisoning can occur through direct skin contact, absorption, vapor inhalation, or, ingestion.

Even minimum exposure to mercury can be deadly. Which is why specialty equipment is necessary for mercury spill control and clean up. That’s because this silver liquid metal easily breaks into small droplets and “scatters”. Using a mercury spill kit to absorb, neutralize and suppress mercury vapor is essential to minimize danger.

So to learn more about the do’s and don’ts of cleaning up a liquid mercury spill, keep reading.

Don’t: Use a vacuum cleaner on mercury spills

Liquid mercury has unique properties. It rolls over surfaces and breaks into droplets

Never attempt to clean a liquid mercury spill using a vacuum cleaner. A vacuum’s suction pressure will force microscopic mercury particles into the air rather than containing it. This results in higher mercury exposure to anyone in the surrounding area.

A vacuum cleaner might seem like a good idea initially, but it’s far too dangerous to use with mercury. Spreading the mercury into the air creates a significantly more dangerous hazmat environment. So, keep the vacuum turned off!

Don’t: Sweep mercury with a broom

Another common mistake when cleaning liquid mercury spills is sweeping it with a broom. As previously stated, mercury possesses unique characteristics. One of which is the ability to ‘ball’ up rather than spread evenly, like water or water-based substances.

If you attempt to sweep liquid mercury with a broom, chances are you’ll only spread it around. Rather than having just a few large drops bunched together, you’ll have dozens or even hundreds of smaller drops scattered across the floor.

Do: Wear protective gear during mercury spill clean up

Thick latex or nitrile gloves and goggles are essentials when working with mercury spills

Always wear protective gear before attempting to clean up a mercury spill. Due to the high toxicity of liquid mercury, even skin contact is toxic. Don a pair of thick, professional-grade latex gloves along with protective safety goggles.

And remember that even with this PPE gear, you should avoid direct contact with liquid mercury.

Do: Use a squeegee for mercury cleanup

If you aren’t supposed to use a vacuum cleaner or broom, how exactly do you clean liquid mercury spills? Fortunately, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offer helpful instructions about how to safely clean up mercury spills.

For example, it recommends using a squeegee or piece of cardboard to push mercury into a single pile. Next, use an eyedropper to transfer it into a damp paper towel. You can then place the mercury-filled paper towel into a sealed plastic bag. Lastly, contact your local health or fire department to have them properly dispose of the liquid mercury biohazard.

Mercury clean up kits 101

Keep a mercury spill kit on hand for safe clean up of this hazardous material

If your workplace has any equipment that contains mercury, having a specialized spill kit on site is a no brainer. Next, we’ll outline some of the basics about clean up kits and safely dealing with a mercury spill.

What’s in a mercury spill clean up kit?

A mercury spill kit contains all the essentials to safely clean, decontaminate, and dispose of the hazardous waste. The main content is typically a mercury absorbent, encapsulating, or amalgamation powder. Clean up tools will include a scraper, wipers, dust pan and disposal bags. Some types of kits may contain things like chemical sponges, aspirator bottle, or spatulas. All kits will contain appropriate PPE, such as thick nitrile gloves and goggles.

How do I use a mercury spill kit?

First, put on safety goggles and gloves. Next, sprinkle absorbency powder around the spill site to completely cover the mercury. The mercury absorbent powder bonds to, and transforms, droplets into a solid material like zinc amalgam. It also acts as a vapor suppressor to limit exposure to this toxic substance.

After a few minutes, sweep up the stabilized mercury using a hand broom and dust pan. Decontaminate the spill surface area with mercury clean up wipers to remove any residues. Finally, transfer all used kit hazmat materials into a disposal bag and seal it with a twist tie.

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This is a revision to a post with an original publish date of October 17, 2013

Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) aims to lower toxic emissions from coal-burning power plants.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) came out victorious last Tuesday when the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit voted in favor of their Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS).

It wasn’t a ‘clean’ win by any means, however, as several state lawmakers and coal industry specialists argued the new regulations would prove costly for coal-burning power plants to function at normal levels. In a split decision, the court upheld MATS, claiming it was an essential step towards protecting the public’s health from mercury and other toxins released into the air.

Impact of Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS)

So, what kind of impact will MATS have on coal-burning power plants? It’s still too early to make any definitive statements regarding its impact, but EPA spokeswoman Liz Purchia said the new rule will eliminate approximately 90% mercury emissions, 88% acid-gas, and 41% sulfur dioxide from coal-burning power plants.

Mercury poisoning is a serious problem not only in the U.S., but throughout the entire world. As more and more coal-burning power plants are build, there are higher levels of mercury being released into the atmosphere. Unfortunately, this toxic chemical ends up polluting lakes, streams, rivers, oceans and the soil. MATS is designed to lower emissions of mercury as well as other toxic coal byproduct chemicals, saving the lives of thousands of Americans each year.

Why Some People Are Against MATS

But not everyone is in favor of the EPA’s new mercury emission rule. The biggest problem with MATS is the massive financial cost of modifying the current coal-burning power plants so they are able to meet these new standards. It’s not a simple and/or trivial task by any means, with price estimates for conversions ranging into the billions of dollars.

“And EPA’s failure to do so is no trivial matter. The estimated cost of compliance with EPA’s Final Rule is approximately $9.6 billion per year, by EPA’s own calculation. To put it in perspective, that amount would pay the annual health insurance premiums of about two million Americans. It would pay the annual salaries of about 200,000 members of the U.S. Military. It would cover the annual budget of the entire National Park Service three times over. Put simply, the Rule is among the most expensive rules that EPA has ever promulgated,’ said Judge Kavanaugh in regards to the new EPA rule.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Cleaning Up a Liquid Mercury Spill