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Mercury In Schools
Your school may contain mercury and other hazardous materials that have been used in the past or may still be used for teaching and other purposes. Hazardous materials can be found in many areas, including science labs, art rooms, maintenance areas, nurse’s offices and home economics rooms. They may be dangerous because of their toxic, flammable or reactive properties.If these materials are being handled, stored or disposed of improperly, they can pose a risk to students, staff and the environment.
Mercury in particular is a persistent and toxic pollutant that accumulates in the environment, in wildlife and in humans. Lowered intelligence, impaired hearing and poor coordination are some of the effects in children with elevated mercury levels. While the most significant route of exposure to mercury is through the consumption of contaminated fish, breathing vapor from spilled liquid mercury is also a significant route of exposure. This could occur at schools. Accidental mercury spills and breakages have proven expensive to clean up, in some cases, costing tens of thousands of dollars.
The purpose of this fact sheet is to help schools identify and find alternatives to mercury and other hazardous materials that may be present in your facilities. It focuses primarily on mercury compounds and mercury-containing equipment used in curriculum activity. Many adequate substitutes exist for devices used in schools that contain mercury. When purchasing new equipment or replacing any mercury containing devices, check to make sure that any new items do not contain mercury. If no alternative is available, choose the product containing the least amount of mercury for that particular device.
If you would like more information about mercury and hazardous materials management at schools, please contact Becky Jayne, Illinois EPA’s Office of Pollution Prevention, at (217) 524-9642.
Autobody Class, Industrial Arts Class, and Wood and Metal Shops
| Item | Alternative |
|---|---|
| Mercury Gauges | Electronic or aneroid gauges |
| Manometers, Carburetor Synchronizers, Other Pressure-Measuring Devices | Aneroid and electronic manometers and analog gauges (also known as vacuum gauges) |
| Switches in Electrical Equipment, Relays, Boilers, Cooling and Heating Equipment, Mercury-Containing Wall-Mounted Light Switches Manufactured Before 1991 ("silent" switches) | Mercury-free switches, temperature devices, and relays, and gas equipment with electronic ignitions |
| Solvent based products | Water-based or bio-based solvents |
| Lubricants | Bio-based lubricants |
| Wood preservatives with pentachlorophenol | Untreated wood and non-wood alternatives |
Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Science Rooms
| Item | Alternative |
|---|---|
| Elemental Mercury | |
| Mercury Barometer | Aneroid and digital; new liquid one is being developed |
| Mercury CompoundsMercury (II) chloride Mercury Iodine Mercury Nitrate Mercury Oxide Mercury (II) Sulfate | Magnesium Chloride/Sulfuric Acid or Zinc Formalin Freeze DryingPhenate methodAmmonia/Copper Sulfate, Neosporin, Mycin Copper CatalystSilver Nitrate/Potassium/Chromium (III) Sulfate |
| Mercury Gas Law Apparatus | A simple Charles’ Law Apparatus may suffice. |
| Mercury Hydrometer | |
| Mercury Hygrometer | Spirit-filled glass bulb, digital and aneroid |
| Mercury Lab Thermometer | Alcohol and mineral spirits glass bulbs, and digital |
| Mercury Molecular Motion Device | |
| Mercury Sling Psychrometer | Mineral spirits glass bulb thermometers, some can fit in old frames. |
| Hg Spectral Tube | 16 alternative gases are available |
| Mercury Vacuum Gauge | Needle or Digital Gauge |
| Zenker’s Solution (Mercury Chloride) | Zinc Formalin |
| Colormetric Chloride Analysis | Ion-selective electrode method |
| Residual mercury may be present in drains traps and catch basins | Properly clean traps and basins. Recycle mercury. |
| Formaldehyde or Formalin | Formaldehyde-free preservatives |
| Solvents | Water-based or bio-based solvents |
Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Laboratories/Classrooms
| Item | Alternative |
|---|---|
| Mercury Thermostats | Air-controlled, reed switch, vapor-filled diaphragm, snap-switch and programmable electronic |
| Mercury U-Tubes | Electronic and aneroid gauges |
| Mercury Switches | Hard-contact switches, solid-state switches, electro-optical switches, inductive sensors, capacitive sensors, photoelectric sensors, and ultrasonic sensors |
| Mercury Thermostat Probes | Electric flame sensors, electronic ignition |
| Float Switches | Magnetic dry reed switches, optic sensors, and mechanical switches |
Home Economics Classrooms
| Item | Alternative |
|---|---|
| Mercury Cooking Thermometer | Spirit-filled glass bulb, and digital |
| Washing Machine (power shut off) | Mechanical switch |
| Freezer Light | Mechanical Switch |
| Flame Sensor on gas oven | Electronic ignition |
| Steam Iron with 15 minute Shut-off (tilt switch contains mercury) | Iron with non-mercury switch |
Art Classrooms*
| Item | Alternative |
|---|---|
| Cadmium Vermillion Red Paint | Mercury-free and cadmium-free paint |
| Ceramic Glazes | Lead and cadmium free glazes |
| Dyes (cold water and commercial) | Vegetable dyes |
| Inhalation Hazards (e.g., clay in dry form, powdered paints, glazes, pigments, wheat paste and aerosol products) | Wet or liquid non-aerosol products |
| Instant Paper-mache | Paper-mache made from black and white newspaper and library or white paste or flour and water paste |
| Solvent-based glues | Water-based glues |
| Solvent-based paints | Water-based paints |
| Permanent markers | Water-based markers |
| Polymer clay (designed to harden at conventional oven temperatures) | Paper-based, flour-based or wax-based clays |
| Low-temperature modeling clays (may contain glycol ethers or primary phthalate ethers) | Paper-based, flour-based or wax-based clays |
| True Vermillion Paint (contains Mercury sulfide) | Mercury-free paint |
| Wood stains | Water-based wood stains |
| Moth repellants (for textiles) | Cedar chips, eucalyptus oil |
| Pigments used in printing inks, oils paints, and other media | Cadmium-free, lead-free and mercury-free alternatives are available |
| Solders for silver jewelry | Cadmium-free solder for silver jewelry |
| Stained-glass solders | Lead-free solder |
*Art or craft materials used in Illinois schools must meet the requirements of 105 Illinois Compiled Statutes 135 and 77 Illinois Administrative Code 848.
Medical Technology Classrooms and School Medical Offices
| Item | Alternative |
|---|---|
| Fever Thermometers | Digital, gallium-indium-tin thermometers, dot matrix thermometers |
| Blood Pressure Devices | Digital or aneroid |
| Topical Disinfectants containing mercurochrome or tincture of mertiolate* | Alcohol or hydrogen peroxide |
| Contact Lens Solution containing thimerosol, phenylmercuric acetate or phenylmercuric nitrate* | Thimerosol-free, phenylmercuric acetate-free or phenylmercuric nitrate-free contact lens solution |
| Nasal Sprays containing thimerosol, phenylmercuric acetate or phenylmercuric nitrate* | Thimerosol-free phenylmercuric acetate –free or phenylmercuric nitrate-free nasal sprays |
*Note: The primary concern is the disposal and not the exposure to mercury. No studies have confirmed any health risk associated with the identified mercury applications.
Non-educational Mercury-Containing Items
| Item | Alternative |
|---|---|
| Thermostats | Air-controlled, reed switch, vapor-filled diaphragm, snap-switch and programmable electronic |
| Fluorescent Lamps | No alternative; properly recycle |
| Mercury Vapor Lamps | No alternative; properly recycle |
| Metal Halide Lamps | No alternative; properly recycle |
| High-Pressure Vapor Sodium Lamps | No alternative; properly recycle |
| Mercury Gauges | Electronic or aneroid gauges |
| Light Switches ("silent" switches) | New light switches don’t contain mercury |
| Mercury Switches and Relays | Switches and relays with electronic |
| Mercury thermostat probes and flame sensors | Hard-contact switches, inductive sensors, capacitive sensors, photoelectric sensors, and ultrasonic sensors |
| Old Latex Paint (purchased prior to 1992) | Properly dispose |
| Fungicides (purchased prior to 1994) | Properly dispose |
| Pesticides (purchased prior to 1994) | Properly dispose |
Sources:
- "Mercury-Containing Products and Alternatives", INFORM Inc., 2002
- "Identification of Mercury Devices in School Medical, Home Economic, Art and Other Rooms", Revised Draft Checklist, Northeast Waste Management Officials Association, 2002
- "Guidelines for the Safe Use of Art and Craft Materials", California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, August 2002
- "Mercury in Science Laboratories and Classrooms", Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and Northeast Waste Management Officials Association
- "Mercury in School Buildings and Maintenance Areas", Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and Northeast Waste Management Officials Association
- "Mercury in the Medical Office and in Medical Technology Classrooms in Vocational Technical Schools", Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and Northeast Waste Management Officials Association
- "Mercury in the Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Laboratories in Voc-Tech Schools", Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and Northeast Waste Management Officials Association
- "Mercury Awareness for School Teachers", Ohio EPA, Office of Pollution Prevention, June 2001