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Schools and Mercury
The following Web sites provide information for school administrators, faculty, staff, local health jurisdictions, and parent groups on how to reduce the hazards of mercury on children's health, avoid chemical liabilities, develop planning tools, and establish collection programs for mercury. Mercury is used in many items found in schools, such as thermometers, barometers, switches, thermostats, flowmeters, lamps, and laboratory reagents in chemistry and science labs. Two major causes of mercury spills at schools are improper storage and mishandling of these items. EPA encourages schools to prevent spills by removing all mercury compounds and mercury-containing equipment, and by discontinuing their use. You can find more links on the mercury page of EPA's Healthy School Environment Resources site.
Mercury: In Your Community and The Environment - Use this guide to help your students learn about the health and environmental concerns associated with mercury, find out where it is in their school and homes, and help school officials and family members do something about it. This package contains background materials on mercury for teachers and activities for students.
Mercury in Schools Case Studies - This page includes case studies of typical problems, incidents and cleanups found in schools throughout the United States.
State Mercury Schools Programs - Find out about state-sponsored programs to facilitate the removal of mercury-containing materials in schools.
Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign (SC3) - The SC3 Campaign provides information about how to remove potentially harmful chemicals from schools; emphasize the implementation of preventive programs such as chemical management training for lab instructors and microscale techniques; and raise national awareness of the issue of chemicals in schools.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Metallic Mercury Exposure Alert - ATSDR's National Alert about metallic mercury in schools and ritual use of mercury.
Getting
Mercury Out of Schools and Communities
- NEWMOA (Northeast Waste Management Officials' Association) developed
outreach and assistance materials to assist communities in identifying
and removing elemental mercury and products containing mercury from
schools and from homes.
Mercury in Schools- With funding from EPA, the University of Wisconsin Extension’s
Solid and Hazardous Waste Education Center (SHWEC) has developed
a mercury in schools project. Key project activities included: creating
and maintaining a clearinghouse for information relating to reducing
mercury usage, increasing mercury recycling and improving mercury
management in schools, and educating students and teachers about
eliminating mercury; and conducting workshops for educators and
agency staff.
Mercury
– Schools Topic Hub- Great Lakes Regional Pollution Prevention Roundtable (GLRPPR)
resources about mercury in schools.
Mercury
in Necklaces and Jewelry
- Information about necklaces with mercury from Mexico that have
become popular with kids. Once broken, the amount of mercury from
the necklace spilled can warrant a hazardous cleanup response and
evacuation. Many states have issued health alerts about these
necklaces,
the risks they pose to children and schools, and provide pictures
of what the necklaces look like.
Pollution
Prevention in School and Laboratory Facilities: Lessons Learned
from Mercury Reduction
- Webcast from workshop held Nov. 17, 2003 covering the risks associated
with mercury in schools and ways to eliminate mercury from schools.
The workshop was sponsored by EPA in conjunction with National Institutes
of Health (NIH), US Dept. of Health and Human Services, University
of Illinois -Waste Management and Resource Center, University of
Wisconsin Extension Program, and Maryland Dept. of Environment.
Real Player (http://www.real.com/)is required to view this broadcast recording and can be downloaded
for free.