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NEWS RELEASE
Dec. 19, 2005
Contacts:
Brad Johnson, director of DERR
(801) 536-4170
Neil Taylor, scientist, DERR
(801) 536-4102
Donna Kemp Spangler, public information officer
(801) 536-4484
(Salt Lake City, Utah) – Accidents happen. Thermometers break. But when it comes to household spills of potentially toxic mercury, proper cleanup is essential, state environmental officials say.
“Our concern is that people aren’t aware that mercury is highly hazardous and there’s the potential of causing thousands of dollars in damage to the home because people don’t know how to properly clean it up,” said Neil Taylor, an environmental scientist with the Utah Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Environmental Response and Remediation (DERR).
Taylor’s advice is never to vacuum or sweep up the mercury-tainted spill because it will break the mercury into smaller droplets. “When a thermostat breaks, I see people pull out their vacuum cleaner and what they just have done is spread it throughout the house and now are faced with an expensive cleanup,” Taylor said. “I want people to be aware there are places they can go to find out more about mercury, such as DEQ’s Web site (www.deq.utah.gov), including advice on how to dispose of the hazardous waste.
The number of calls to DERR about mercury contamination or spills has doubled over the last year. So far, the Division has received 11 mercury-related calls, compared to last year’s total of six. The increase could be attributed to wider awareness of the issue, said Brad Johnson, director of DERR. “People may be thinking about the potential dangers of mercury in light of the attention that has focused on mercury levels found in fish.” But mercury is found in a variety of places, including electrical switches in some automobiles, smelters and chemistry labs.
Mercury can be found in such household products as old thermometers, thermostats and fluorescent light bulbs. When shattered and spilled it forms droplets that can accumulate in the tiniest of spaces and emit vapors into the air. Mercury affects the brain and the central nervous system, and can cause delayed mental development and learning disabilities, depending on how much mercury has entered your body and how long you have been exposed to it.
The Department of Environmental Quality does offer assistance to residents looking for a place to dispose of mercury. Additional information on mercury disposal can be found at: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/mercury/spills.htm (opens in a new window).
For spills that are less than or equal to the amount in a thermometer:
DON’T
DO
For more information on disposal, contact the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Solid and Hazardous Waste at 801-538-6170. To report a spill or leak, call the DEQ spill hotline at 801-536-4123.
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