Re: Broken mercury thermometer

[Guest guest]

When i was a kid if a thermometer broke we were allowed to play with the little balls of shiny stuff that rolled all over your han!.It's only a very small amount isn't it?

Broken mercury thermometer

Hi All

I did a really stupid thing this afternoon. I decided to check my temp

and when I had finished I shook the thermometer and hit it

accidentally against the arm of the vacuum cleaner. Little balls of

mercury spilled onto my bed that I was in the middle of changing, I

was also vacuuming and as the vac was there I thought stupidly at the

time to vac them up so that I did not touch them. I have since learned

that it was the worst thing I could have done. I have ventilated the

room and washed the contaminated bedding. I am really worried now

about the consequences of my foolish actions. Any advice anyone.

Thanks Lizzie

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[Guest guest]

Hi Lizzie,

The lab method of disposal of mercury is lime and sulphur, if I recall

correctly, to make mercury sulphide. Can you get hold of some

'flowers of sulphur' from either the chemist or a hardware/gardening

shop.

The contents of your vacuum cleaner need some flowers of sulphur

dusting into it before disposal ~ the council might be able to deal

with it as a special case (via environmental health department).

If you're worried about there being any mercury left, you might get the

local council to use a mercury monitor in the room where the accident

happened.

Dentists can get them to monitor their workplace, so perhaps Health and

Safety at Work (HSE) might help, alternately.

A risk is that finely divided mercury could have got into the mattress

and that would present a hazard, since sleeping in the vapour from

mercury for 6-8hrs wouldn't be a good idea....though I also imagine

that enough gets released from dental amalgam to compete with a broken

thermometer.

Double glazing can prevent a good enough rate of air change in a closed

room, so, leaving a window slighly ajar would help to ventillate it.

best wishes

Bob

>

> Hi All

>

> I did a really stupid thing this afternoon. I decided to check my temp

> and when I had finished I shook the thermometer and hit it

> accidentally against the arm of the vacuum cleaner. Little balls of

> mercury spilled onto my bed that I was in the middle of changing, I

> was also vacuuming and as the vac was there I thought stupidly at the

> time to vac them up so that I did not touch them. I have since learned

> that it was the worst thing I could have done. I have ventilated the

> room and washed the contaminated bedding. I am really worried now

> about the consequences of my foolish actions. Any advice anyone.

> Thanks Lizzie

>

[Guest guest]

Dear Lizzie, IMPORTANT!!!

Here is info from the US Environmental Protection Agency re mercury

spills, disposal and site cleanup. It is worth reading the whole

thing as lots of bits and pieces of useful information relevant to

your situation are scattered throughout the document.

http://www.epa.gov/mercury/spills/index.htm

The website has a section that specifically deals with mercury

spillage and contamination from broken thermometers.

It appears that any item that has come into contact with the mercury

from the thermometer (ie. your linen) needs to be discarded safely.

See site for more info.

Please do not wash any more clothes in your washing machine for now.

On the website, the US EPA advises that the washing machine may now be

contaminated with mercury!

There is lots more useful information on the site, including cleanup

instructions. Please have a look.

I hope this information is useful.

Can't mess around with mercury. Very toxic stuff.

P

[Guest guest]

Thanks Bob

>

> The lab method of disposal of mercury is lime and sulphur, if I recall

> correctly, to make mercury sulphide. Can you get hold of some

> 'flowers of sulphur' from either the chemist or a hardware/gardening

> shop.

>

> The contents of your vacuum cleaner need some flowers of sulphur

> dusting into it before disposal ~ the council might be able to deal

> with it as a special case (via environmental health department).

>

> If you're worried about there being any mercury left, you might get the

> local council to use a mercury monitor in the room where the accident

> happened.

>

> Dentists can get them to monitor their workplace, so perhaps Health and

> Safety at Work (HSE) might help, alternately.

>

> A risk is that finely divided mercury could have got into the mattress

> and that would present a hazard, since sleeping in the vapour from

> mercury for 6-8hrs wouldn't be a good idea....though I also imagine

> that enough gets released from dental amalgam to compete with a broken

> thermometer.

>

> Double glazing can prevent a good enough rate of air change in a closed

> room, so, leaving a window slighly ajar would help to ventillate it.

>

> best wishes

> Bob

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks P

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Mercury is a powerful neurotoxin and even a small amount can cause

mercury poisoning.

P

> When i was a kid if a thermometer broke we were allowed to play with

the little balls of shiny stuff that rolled all over your han!.It's

only a very small amount isn't it?

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

And we were allowed to do this at school! well I'd better hope no damage was done in my case

Re: Broken mercury thermometer

Hi ,

Mercury is a powerful neurotoxin and even a small amount can cause

mercury poisoning.

P

> When i was a kid if a thermometer broke we were allowed to play with

the little balls of shiny stuff that rolled all over your han!.It's

only a very small amount isn't it?

>

>

>

>

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[Guest guest]

Hi Lizzie

You should visit the following website - not sure whether there is a forum there, but this is run by Mike's sister after she was involved mercury poisoning and now runs this website http://www.mercurymadness.org/. I hope it will be useful to you - and other's who have concerns about the effect of mercury on their lives.

Luv - Sheila

Thanks P

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[Guest guest]

oh dear I have all those symptoms but my dentist doesnt believe in

removing amalgams and I cannot detox mercury with them in

luv Dawn

[Guest guest]

Hi Dawn,

I have similar problems with mine- we have compromised- I've

decided to let sleeping dogs lie rather than risk release of mercury during

removal. I just refuse to have any more amalgams if fillings need

replacement- cost me private charges for white ones- it's very hard to find

a dentist locally.

Subject: Re: Broken mercury thermometer

oh dear I have all those symptoms but my dentist doesnt believe in

removing amalgams and I cannot detox mercury with them in

luv Dawn

------------------------------------

Messages are not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always

consult with a suitably qualified practitioner before changing

medication.

[Guest guest]

....perhaps this sort of thing, and for one amalgam fillings (I had a mouth full) is why we are all having thyroid & adrenal problems now.

Val

And we were allowed to do this at school! well I'd better hope no damage was done in my case

[Guest guest]

I just decided that the time had come to have mine done & so found a dentist who specialises in this - I did not tell my altdoc as he would have wanted me to have tests which say how much mercury poisoning I had etc (more money down the drain), - I felt that I knew this was the right thing for me at the time.

Val

oh dear I have all those symptoms but my dentist doesnt believe inremoving amalgams and I cannot detox mercury with them inluv Dawn