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Junior Member
Username: Newsfromnaspe
Post Number: 17
Registered: 12-2008
| | Posted on Friday, February 27, 2009 - 10:33 am: |       |
Children’s Exposure to Elemental Mercury
February 7, 2009
Children most often exposed to elemental mercury at home or at school – ATSDR Review
A new review from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry shows that children are most often exposed to elemental or metallic mercury at home or at school. Mishandling and improper clean up cause most exposures.
Broken fever thermometers are the most common cause of exposures at home. Children can also be exposed to elemental mercury in the home from broken compact fluorescent light bulbs and other devices that contain mercury. Elemental mercury is used in some cultural and ceremonial practices and people who work with mercury may bring it home on their clothes or shoes.
Children are sometimes exposed to elemental or metallic mercury from school science labs or devices that contain mercury, such as medical equipment. Children may also obtain elemental mercury from other places and bring it to school. In some cases, school flooring can be a source of mercury exposure. From the 1960s to the 1980s, many schools installed synthetic gymnasium floors that contained mercury. These surfaces slowly release mercury vapor, especially if damaged. If you suspect your school flooring may contain mercury, please contact Mark Johnson at MDJohnson@cdc.gov, or Steve Jones at sxj6@cdc.gov.
KEY ACTIONS FOR PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND ADMINSTRATORS:
* Know the health hazards of mercury.
* Know and reduce sources of mercury at home and school.
* Understand how to properly dispose of elemental mercury that may be present at home or at school - visit http://www.epa.gov/hg/spills.
*Know how to properly clean up small mercury spills – such as the amount in a fever thermometer. Be aware of the information and local assistance available for the cleanup of larger spills.
* Try to use mercury-free devices such as thermometers and blood-pressure devices.
* Teach children how to identify metallic (elemental) mercury, the health risk of playing with mercury, and what to do if they find mercury.
For more information about mercury, visit http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/mercury/.
SCHOOLS CAN HELP BY SHARING THIS INFORMATION WITH PARENTS.
Please consider including the following information in your next newsletter or other parent communications.
Mercury and Children
Mercury is a fascinating element because of its liquid, silvery appearance. Most people do not come into direct contact elemental (metallic) mercury, unless they break a thermometer or compact fluorescent light bulb. Because mercury can cause serious health problems, it is important to keep metallic mercury out of children’s reach.
Broken fever thermometers are the most common cause of exposures at home. Children can also be exposed to elemental mercury in the home from broken compact fluorescent light bulbs and other devices that contain mercury. Elemental mercury is used in some cultural and ceremonial practices and people who work with mercury may bring it home on their clothes or shoes.
Parents can help keep elemental mercury away from children. They can:
* Know the health hazards of mercury.
* Know and reduce sources of mercury at home and other places children visit.
* Understand how to properly dispose of spilled mercury. Visit http://www.epa.gov/hg/spills/ or call (insert phone number for local health department or similar agency).
* Try to use mercury-free devices such as thermometers and blood-pressure devices.
* Teach children how to identify elemental mercury, the health risk of playing with mercury, and what to do if they find mercury.
For more information about mercury, visit http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/mercury/ or call 1800-CDC-INFO.
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