Hazards of mercury spills draw warnings

Proper cleanup is important in the case of household mercury spills, the Utah Department of Environmental Quality says.

"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 department's Division of Environmental Response and Remediation.

Mercury has been in the news lately because of fish and waterfowl contamination. But many people aren't aware of the presence in mercury in such places as electrical switches in some cars, smelters, chemistry labs, old thermometers, thermostats and fluorescent light bulbs.

This year, calls to the division about mercury contamination or spills has nearly doubled over last year — 11 as opposed to six.

When spilled, it forms droplets that can accumulate in tiny spaces and emit vapors, according to the division. Mercury contamination can cause health problems such as 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 division offers these tips: for spills equal to or less than the amount in a thermometer, don't clean up with a vacuum or broom, don't pour mercury down a drain, don't wash mercury-contaminated clothes or walk around with shoes that might be contaminated. Do remove everyone, including pets, from the area of the spill; turn off furnace or air conditioner; put on rubber or latex gloves; squeeze mercury onto damp paper towel and place the towel in a zip-lock bag.

For more about disposal, call the DEQ Division of Solid and Hazardous Waste, 801-538-6170. To report a leak or spill, call the DEQ spill hotline, 801-536-4123.