What to Do If You Have a Mercury Spill

Sources of Mercury

Mercury is a naturally occurring metal, which is widespread and persistent in the environment and exists in three forms: elemental or metallic mercury, inorganic mercury, and organic mercury. Exposures to metallic mercury most often occur when metallic mercury is spilled, or when products that contain metallic mercury break, releasing mercury into the air. Some common household sources of mercury include compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), thermometers, thermostats, clock pendulums, and barometers.

Never Do After a Mercury Spill

  1. Do not use a vacuum to clean up mercury
  2. Do not allow children to help clean up mercury
  3. Do not use a broom to clean up mercury
  4. Do not poor mercury down a drain
  5. Do not walk around in shoes or clothes contaminated with mercury

Small Spills

Broken CFLs or broken mercury thermometers can lead to small mercury spills. Small mercury spills can usually be cleaned up properly without the help of a trained professional. Mercury can easily be cleaned from: wood, linoleum, tile and similarly smooth surfaces. If spill happens on carpet, curtains, upholstery and other absorbent surfaces these items should be thrown away

Broken Light Bulb

A small amount, about 4 milligrams, of mercury vapor or small beads of mercury can be released when CFLs are broken.

The Lighting Facts label on light bulb packaging provides a variety of information about the light bulb, including if it contains mercury. The light bulb will also have “CFL” printed on the bulb’s base to identify that it contains mercury. For a full list of light bulbs that contain mercury, check out Recycling and Disposal of CFLs and Other Bulbs that Contain Mercury | US EPA.

Prepping for cleaning up a broken CFL

  • Make sure all humans and pets are removed from the area. Don’t let anyone walk through the mercury.
  • Open a window or door to the outside to air out the room for 5-10 minutes.
  •  Shut off the central forced air heating/air-conditioning system, if you have one.
  • Gather materials needed to clean up the broken CFL:
    • Stiff paper or cardboard
    • Sticky tape
    • Damp paper towel or disposable wet wipes
    • A glass jar with a metal lid or sealable plastic bag

Cleanup

  • Scoop up glass fragments and powder using stiff paper or cardboard making sure to collect all broken glass and visible powder. Using the sticky tape, pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder. Place the used tape in a glass jar or plastic bag. See the detailed cleanup instructions for more information, and for differences in cleaning up hard surfaces versus carpeting or rugs.
  • Place cleanup materials in a sealable container and dispose of in outdoor trash can.

After Cleanup

  • Check with your local government about disposal requirements in your area, because some localities require fluorescent bulbs (broken or unbroken) be taken to a local recycling center. If there is no such requirement in your area, you can dispose of the materials with your household trash.
  • If practical, continue to air out the room where the bulb was broken and leave the heating/air conditioning system shut off for several hours.

Broken Thermometer

A non-digital thermometer with a silver-colored liquid may contain mercury. If the thermometer does not contain a paper calibration strip inside with the words “mercury free”, then assume that the liquid is mercury and follow proper cleaning procedures. About 500 milligrams of mercury can be released when an older mercury thermometer breaks.

Prepping for Cleaning Up a Broken Mercury Thermometer

  • Make sure all humans and pets are removed from the area. Don’t let anyone walk through the mercury.
  • Open all windows and doors to the outside and shut all doors leading to other parts of the house.
  • Gather materials to clean up small mercury spill:
    • Sealable plastic bag (4 or 5)
    • Trash bags (2 to 6 mils thick)
    • Rubber, nitrile, or latex gloves
    • Paper towels
    • Cardboard or squeegee
    • Eyedropper
    • Duct tape or shaving cream
    • Small paint brush
    • Flashlight

Cleanup

  • Put on gloves.
  • Carefully pick up any broken pieces of glass or sharp objects and place them on a paper towel. Fold the paper towel and place in a sealable plastic bag. Secure the bag and label it.
  • Locate visible mercury beads. Use a squeegee or cardboard to gather mercury beads into small mercury balls. Use slow sweeping motions to keep mercury from becoming uncontrollable. Take a flashlight, hold it at a low angle close to the floor in a darkened room and look for additional glistening beads of mercury that may be sticking to the surface or in small cracked areas of the surface. Inspect entire room as mercury can spread easily on hard-flat services.
  • Use the eyedropper to collect the mercury beads then slowly squeeze the mercury onto a damp paper towel. Place the paper towel in a sealable bag then secure the bag and label it.
    • If no eyedropper available, use two pieces of cardboard paper to roll the mercury beads onto the paper towel or into the bag. Place the paper towel in a sealable bag then secure the bag and label it.
  • After you remove larger beads, put shaving cream on top of a small paint brush and gently “dot” the affected area to pick up smaller hard-to-see beads. Place the paintbrush in a sealable bag then secure and label it.
    • If materials are not available, use sticky tape to pick up any remaining small glass pieces. Slowly peel the tape from the floor to keep the mercury beads stuck to the tape. Place the duct tape in a sealable bag then secure and label it.
  • Place all used materials including gloves in a trash bag then place in a secured area outside.
  • 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.

After Cleanup

  • Keep the windows open to the outside for at least 24 hours to ventilate the room.
  • Continue to keep pets and children out of the area.
  • If sickness occurs, seek medical attention immediately. Call the poison help center at (800) 222-1222.

Large Spills (more than a tablespoon)

Broken barometers, clocks with pendulums (i.e. grandfather clock) and containers such as jllars with free-flowing mercury spill large amounts of mercury and must be dealt with by a professional.

If a large amount of mercury has been spilled, call the Virginia Department of Health’s Toxicology Program (804) 864-8182 as soon as possible. If it is after-hours, please call your local fire department. If you have questions about potential health effects, you can call your physician, or your local poison control center at (800) 222-1222. While awaiting their response, do the following:

  • Have everyone leave the area; don’t let anyone walk through the mercury on their way out.
  • Open all windows and doors to the outside.
  • Turn down the temperature.
  • Shut all doors to other parts of the house and leave the area.
  • Do not vacuum.

When one pound or more (about two tablespoons) of mercury is released into the environment, it is mandatory to call the National Response Center (NRC) at (800) 424-8802.

For more information:

Cleaning Up a Broken CFL | US EPA

What to Do if a Mercury Thermometer Breaks | US EPA

What to Do If You Spill More Mercury Than the Amount in a Thermometer | US EPA

This webpage was made possible by a cooperative agreement [program # CDC-RFA-TS-23-0001] from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the Virginia Department of Health Toxicology Program and do not necessarily represent the official views of the ATSDR, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.