Thermometer- this is a very important device, with the help of which you can actually find out the exact body temperature in just 5 minutes. Although you can easily find a thermometer in almost every home medicine cabinet, its contents remain dangerous.
Mercury is a harmful liquid metal that can harm humans.
If the thermometer breaks, small crystals will quickly spread throughout the apartment, and toxic fumes will enter the lungs.
With the help of this article, you will find out the exact answer to the question of how to dispose of a mercury thermometer and what needs to be done first?
B Lately mercury thermometer stopped using in Western Europe and in North America. The case consists entirely of glass, which tends to break. People have abandoned such thermometers, as they remain very dangerous.
In the CIS countries, men and women have not yet switched to newfangled electronic methods of measuring temperature. Thus, mercury disposal is a pressing problem.
The chemical properties of this substance are considered unique; it melts at a temperature of 39 degrees. At home, metal always remains liquid; all measurements taken with a thermometer will be very accurate.
If a person breaks a thermometer, then in case of poisoning big amount mercury vapor may begin the process acute intoxication. An individual will also suffer from being in the same room with mercury crystals for a long period of time.
The substance gradually penetrates the body through respiratory system, and then spread throughout the body circulatory system. The kidneys, stomach, intestines and lungs will be most affected.
Disposal mercury thermometers– this is a very important problem, since couples can lead to the following disorders:
- sleep quality disturbance;
- headaches, problems with memory and attention;
- tachycardia, heart pain;
- dysfunction of the respiratory system.
You need to collect waste very carefully. For example, you can dial the number of the sanitary and epidemiological service. Qualified workers will explain to you the complete algorithm of correct actions.
How to throw away a thermometer
Disposal broken thermometers- a responsible process. Movements must be correct and accurate.
It is important not to panic, and also to soberly assess your situation. Don't miss a single ball of mercury! If a child breaks a temperature measuring device, you must remove him from the room. Pregnant women and the elderly will be greatly affected.
If mercury has leaked, immediately remove everyone from the room, open the windows and cover front door. Don't forget about cats and dogs, as even animals can get sick. Pets will also quickly spread small crystals throughout all rooms.
With the help of fresh air you can really get rid of unpleasant fumes faster. Remember not to allow drafts. Wet a small piece of cloth with the baking soda solution and then place it near the door.
Start collecting balls as early as possible; you can do it yourself. Put rubber gloves on your hands and cover your face with gauze.
In certain situations, shoe covers may be needed. It will be great if you wear synthetic items. This material does not absorb hazardous fumes well.
In cases where the dangerous substance has not leaked out, the algorithm of actions is slightly different. Inspect the case, the crystals should remain inside.
If not all the balls remain in the thermometer, then the likelihood of poisoning increases several times. You should find a large jar that you can screw the lid on tightly.
Carefully move the old and broken thermometer to its bottom (the mercury should not spill). After this, you need to find out the address of the service whose specialists will dispose of your thermometer.
It is very important to know that you should not throw away hazardous substances along with household waste.
Note! If a person throws a broken case into a regular trash container, then such actions will entail an administrative violation.
Amount of fine- about a thousand rubles. For big companies monetary recovery much larger. You must know exactly where to dispose of your mercury thermometer.
It should also not be allowed following errors which men and women accept:
- do not sweep up mercury balls with a regular household broom (as you will only crush small balls) and do not use a vacuum cleaner;
- Do not flush the substance down the drain. Hazardous material will settle on the pipes, and it will be almost impossible to remove it in the future;
- Many people are interested in the question of how to dispose of a thermometer. The process should be carried out exclusively by specialists; do not try to bury the broken cover in the ground or throw it into the water yourself;
- If mercury has come into contact with your clothes, these items must be washed separately. In certain cases, you may need to throw them away or have them dry cleaned.
Features of the recycling process
Many men and women have broken thermometers, but few know how to dispose of mercury. There are two most common ways to fix the problem.
The hydrometallurgical method means that the thermometer will first be crushed and washed in a unique substance.
Using a ball mill, the mercury will be completely separated from the glass. The process itself at a temperature of 60 degrees will take approximately 3 hours.
After some time, you need to add a reagent, which consists of sodium chloride and potassium iodide. Demercurization takes place very quickly, the final result is that the reagent will no longer contain mercury salts that are dangerous to humans.
The second method is also considered very common. The glass thermometer will first be crushed. The resulting glass will be heated with lamps until the mercury turns into steam.
The substance will be redirected to a special air purification unit, after which the vapors will be purified.
It is very important to hand over broken thermometers; you must hand over the broken thermometer to a special authority. Find out her address and carefully take the jar of mercury to the specialists.
Summarize
Disposing of a broken thermometer is a very important process. Do everything as quickly as possible to minimize hazardous exposure to mercury vapor.
If you do not take care of this problem, mercury will gradually destroy all organs and systems of the body. The lungs, stomach and heart will be affected.
You need to throw away the thermometer correctly, as the remaining crystals will cause irreparable harm.
It is best to collect the balls using special rubber gloves, place them in a glass jar, and then take them to a mercury recycling center.
Take care of your health and handle a broken thermometer very carefully!
Since childhood, we have been taught that mercury is very dangerous. It is a toxic substance; its vapors can have a harmful effect on the human body for many years.
An ordinary thermometer can be found in almost every home, which means there is always a risk when using it.
The mercury thermometer does not have an expiration date. It is very fragile, and the slightest impact can damage the glass, allowing mercury balls to roll out. Under no circumstances should such a thermometer be thrown into the trash.
The thermometer contains two grams of mercury, its vapors can cause severe poisoning. If you inhale mercury vapor for a couple of weeks, it will lead to death.
Mercury does not decompose in air. Sometimes mercury thermometers are buried, but the problem cannot be solved so easily.
What to do if a mercury thermometer breaks?
If suddenly due to negligence:
- Don't panic, assess the situation sensibly. The health and even the life of your loved ones depends on how correct your actions are.
- Take children and pets to another room, or better yet, take them for a walk in the fresh air. Because mercury molecules are volatile, they can erode.
- Call the Ministry of Emergency Situations and report the incident. Workers will come and carry out professional cleaning premises.
- Check all objects and surfaces for mercury globules. They may be tiny, so inspect carefully.
- Mark the places where you found mercury with chalk or a pencil. These places should not be stepped on.
- Combine small balls into one larger one.
- First, collect the big balls. This will prevent you from forming small drops.
- You can use a flashlight. Bright lighting will easily reveal the shiny balls.
- Fold a piece of thick paper to make a scoop.. You can roll the balls there with a large needle.
- It is better not to visit the room for the next 24 hours. After this time, wash the floor with water.
- A needle will help you remove the balls from the cracks., wrapped in cotton wool soaked in a manganese solution.
- If mercury balls rolled under the parquet, it will have to be removed.
- Since the mercury assembly process can take many hours, go out into the fresh air every quarter of an hour.
How to properly throw away a thermometer?
Despite the fact that the service life of the thermometer is not limited, after a ten-year period it must be disposed of:
- In large populated areas there are specially designated places where mercury can be safely disposed of (demercurization centers). Here mercury is used for further processing.
- If you live in small town, If the thermometer is damaged, you should contact the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Specialists will treat the room from mercury vapor.
- You can also take the thermometer to the sanitary and epidemiological station.
- Don't throw a broken thermometer in the trash. By protecting yourself, you put animals and utility workers at risk.
- Bury the thermometer deep in the forest. This way you will save yourself and those around you. However, this is not the most The best way, because wild animals can find it.
If the mercury has leaked
- Open all the windows and doors, let in a draft, leave the room to ventilate.
- Wear rubber gloves and a gauze bandage.
- Collect the fragments in a glass container filled with water. Do not touch the glass with your hands; use gloves.
Harmful substances will enter the body. Use for this paper napkin, saturate it with vegetable oil. Then leave the napkin in the container as well.
Close the lid tightly. Water will prevent harmful substances from evaporating.
- It is convenient to collect mercury balls using a rubber bulb or an adhesive plaster.
- Clean the floor thoroughly with disinfectant.
- Treat the area where mercury has been spilled with a dark brown manganese solution.. Use a spray bottle or brush for this. After an hour, prepare the following solution: laundry soap (40 g) + baking soda(50 g) + liter of water. They should clean the floor thoroughly.
- After the mercury has been collected, It is necessary to rinse the mouth with a manganese solution. To reduce the impact of toxic substances, activated carbon (three tablets) will help.
- Ventilation should be performed at least three times a day.
If the mercury does not leak out
For the safety of your family and friends, place the thermometer in a solution with potassium permanganate and take it to a special institution (pharmacy, hospital).
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Where should mercury be deposited?
- Give the thermometer to the hospital. But not in all medical institutions they willingly take them for disposal.
- Take your old thermometer to a government pharmacy, there are containers specially designed for this. Their contents are then processed and used for production. mercury lamps. By the way, there is mercury in pharmacies for a long time stored in potassium permanganate solution.
Features of subsequent disposal of the thermometer
After the mercury is collected, all your movements in relation to it should be smooth and accurate.
To collect the harmful substance, use a jar that can be tightly closed. While you wait for the special service to arrive, you can temporarily leave the jar on the balcony or in the garage.
Call the sanitary and epidemiological station. Upon your request, service workers will come and clean the premises. There are special devices for this; they capture even the smallest mercury vapors.
Currently, some solar power plants have polarographs; mercury from a broken thermometer is used to create it.
Why is mercury dangerous?
Mercury poses the greatest danger to children. It is impossible to feel it instantly. But after an hour, the child may begin to complain of dryness in the mouth. oral cavity. A high temperature may also occur.
It is also dangerous that mercury balls are shiny. And, as you know, this really attracts the attention of children and arouses their curiosity.
Under no circumstances should you let your baby swallow them, as the harmful substance will poison the entire body. First of all, the lungs will be affected, and then into the blood, which will distribute mercury throughout all organs.
Intoxication of the body can be chronic or acute. The latter is observed extremely rarely. If you inhale mercury vapor for a long time, it can be fatal.
In acute mercury intoxication, the main symptoms can be observed within eight hours, including weakness, shortness of breath, and a metallic taste.
Don't think that if you just get rid of the harmful substance and breathe fresh air, then the symptoms will go away on their own. In case of untimely provision medical care, the body dies.
If you come into contact with a broken thermometer for a long time, you can get chronic poisoning that affects the nervous system.
The following symptoms are typical for this situation:
- nausea;
- weakness;
- drowsiness;
- absent-minded attention;
- trembling in the body;
- headache similar to migraine.
The person becomes both irritable and aggressive, and apathetic.
Mercury resembles a mobile liquid; it easily separates into small droplets even with a slight blow. If you combine them, you can again get a solid ball.
Such balls easily cling to carpet pile and roll into floor cracks and crevices under baseboards. If you do not get rid of them, they will continue to saturate the air throughout the room with toxic fumes.
Constant contact with mercury will only accumulate it in the body. The situation requires serious treatment and immediate treatment. Remember that not only your health is at stake, but also your life.
What not to do?
- If the weather outside is warm (above +18 degrees), do not open the windows. This will lead to the formation of toxic fumes that will completely saturate your apartment. You can safely resort to ventilation in winter or other cold seasons.
- Never sweep mercury with a broom. A vacuum cleaner won't help here either, because it will only spread dangerous molecules throughout the house. In addition, after such manipulations, the vacuum cleaner will need to be disposed of. After all, the molecules will remain inside the equipment, and there is no way to get rid of them.
- The clothes you wore when cleaning should be thrown away. If you decide to wash it, it will only dirty the washing machine. harmful substance, and in the future other things.
Follow simple safety precautions when using a mercury thermometer:
- Always check the thermometer before use.
- Shake it off if your body temperature is above 35 degrees before measuring.
Few people know that there are some rules when shaking:
- Squeeze the thermometer head in your fist.
- The space with mercury should be directed downwards.
- Press the center with your index finger and thumb.
- Lower your hand several times with strong, sharp movements.
- After use, disinfect the thermometer.
- You cannot wash it with hot water , as this may interfere with accurate measurement and lead to cracks.
Disposing of a mercury thermometer is a rather complicated and lengthy process. Follow basic safety measures to avoid such a situation. The thermometer should be kept in a place inaccessible to the child. When measuring your baby's body temperature, do not go anywhere and control the process.
How to properly dispose of a mercury thermometer? This question is relevant today, despite the fact that mercury thermometers are gradually being replaced by electronic ones. However, mercury thermometers are still common in our country. Therefore, it is important to know the algorithm of actions when disposing of a thermometer and mercury from it.
Perhaps every family has a mercury thermometer that is used to measure our body temperature. Everyone who uses it knows that the thing is quite fragile. And if the thermometer breaks, a situation is possible when its contents, namely mercury, leak out. This is precisely why a thermometer with mercury is dangerous.
Mercury is extremely toxic substance, dangerous, first of all, to human health with its vapors.
Mercury pouring out of a broken thermometer disintegrates into small balls. The vapors of these balls, entering the human body, negatively affect all vital systems (respiratory system, digestive system etc.). Prolonged exposure of mercury vapor (even in small concentrations) to the human body can lead to fatal outcome. Therefore, mercury from broken thermometers must be disposed of in a certain way.
Also, due to the high toxicity of this liquid metal, mercury thermometers should not be thrown into landfills. Mercury, entering the environment, negatively affects all living organisms, it pollutes natural environment. In this regard, it is also important to dispose of any mercury thermometer (broken or intact) in accordance with certain rules.
What to do with a broken mercury thermometer? How to recycle at home, is it realistic?
The mercury thermometer is damaged. How to dispose of a mercury thermometer and spilled mercury from it at home, is it really possible to do this without harm to your health? The answer to this question is important to know for everyone who uses a mercury thermometer to determine body temperature.
If the thermometer breaks, then, first of all, there is no need to start panicking. It is extremely important to calmly assess the situation and take action necessary measures.
There are several possible scenarios for the development of events when a mercury thermometer is broken:
- Mercury leaked out of the device.
- The mercury remained in the device body and did not leak out.
In the first case, it would be correct to follow the following action plan:
- first you need to remove all people and pets from the room where the thermometer broke and where mercury leaked from it. This action must be performed so that the mercury balls do not spread throughout the house, where it will be impossible to collect them;
- close all interior doors, open the windows to ventilate the room from mercury vapor. However, you need to make sure that there are no drafts, because... they are also capable of spreading mercury throughout the house;
- moisten a cloth with a solution of soda (or potassium permanganate) and place it in front of the entrance to the room where the liquid metal has been spilled;
- Next comes the disposal of mercury from the thermometer. To do this, you need to put on gloves, a medical bandage on your face (or use gauze if there is no bandage), and put shoe covers on your feet. It is better if the clothes of the person intending to collect mercury are synthetic, because natural materials absorb mercury vapor more.
Disposal of spilled mercury at home is also carried out in a certain way. To do this, fill the glass container with water to about halfway. Take simple sheets of paper and a small piece of cotton wool. Use a cotton roller to carefully collect mercury balls onto paper sheets and place them in a container filled with water. You can try to collect mercury residues and small parts of metal with tape, which then also needs to be placed in water. Next, the jar of water containing the mercury must be tightly screwed on with a lid. Carry out wet cleaning of the area using potassium permanganate or soap solution. Take the container with liquid metal to the city mercury disposal service.
In the second case, when the mercury did not spill, but remained in the thermometer, it is necessary:
- make sure that the body of the medical device is not broken, carefully look to see if mercury has leaked out;
- take a glass container, use gloves to transfer the damaged mercury thermometer into it, you must act carefully to avoid spilling the mercury, then the container must be closed with a lid;
- find the address of companies in the locality that specialize in the disposal of mercury and mercury-containing devices, take a container with a thermometer there.
A completely broken or partially damaged mercury thermometer should not be taken into garbage bins Moreover, you should not throw such thermometers into your trash cans at home.
It is clear that the algorithm of actions described above in case of damage to a mercury thermometer is not followed by all users. However, you need to understand that the health and even the life of the household members themselves depends on how well the liquidation of spilled mercury at home is carried out.
Note! To safely dispose of mercury balls from a broken thermometer, you can use the services of professionals from specialized services (of course, for a fee).
What mistakes should not be made when disposing of a thermometer?
Disposal of mercury thermometers is an important process and must be approached responsibly. However, many people do this whole line serious mistakes. The most common mistakes:
- throwing the damaged thermometer into the trash bin along with other household waste;
- using a vacuum cleaner or broom to collect mercury balls. The evaporation of mercury from this method of disposal does not decrease;
- flushing mercury down the toilet;
- throwing the thermometer into a landfill, burying it or throwing it into a body of water. All this is the reason for the deterioration of the environmental situation;
- washing clothes in which a person cleaned up a mercury spill along with other items in a washing machine, or not washing them at all.
Disposal of thermometers must be correct. Details on where to dispose and dispose of this mercury medical device are provided below.
Where can I take my mercury thermometer for recycling? Reception points
When a mercury thermometer accidentally breaks, the question arises where to throw the broken device. Once again, it should be noted that you cannot throw away damaged or even whole thermometers. Then another question arises, where to return the broken mercury thermometer. In our country (although, of course, not in all cities and villages), broken thermometers can be handed over to a collection point, through which they are sent to companies for disposal. Usually these are licensed organizations that also accept unnecessary whole and damaged thermometers and other mercury-containing waste for the purpose of their further disposal and recycling. Specialized enterprises recycle thermometers from individuals and recycle thermometers from healthcare facilities.
In addition, a broken mercury device can be taken to the SES or the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
Briefly about the process of recycling mercury thermometers
There are two main ways to dispose of mercury thermometers.
The first method is hydrometallurgical. According to this method The thermometer is subjected to wet crushing, while at the same time the glass of the device is cleaned of mercury using a special solution. A ball mill is used. The duration of this stage is up to 200 minutes, the temperature is up to 60 0 C. Next, a liquid reagent is added to the mixture (potassium iodide and sodium chloride are used). The liquid component of the mixture is drained from the mill; it no longer poses such a danger, because contains mercury salts rather than simple mercury. The liquid reagent is then sent for aluminum precipitation.
The second method is thermal. The thermometers are crushed and the broken glass is heated until the mercury turns into a vapor state. The steam is then sent to the condensate system. Mercury vapor is removed to the established standard.
You can collect mercury yourself at home, but you must follow all safety rules. Broken thermometers and mercury from them must be taken to special items reception. After all proper disposal mercury thermometers – a process necessary to protect the environment and human health.
This short video tells how you can collect mercury from a broken thermometer at home with minimal risk to health and life, as well as where you can donate such a thermometer.
08.11.2018
Many of us use mercury thermometers. They are more familiar than electronic ones, and they work flawlessly, unlike their newfangled counterpart. A glass thermometer costs several times less than its electronic counterpart, which is important. True, there were some downsides. The largest one - the glass thermometer contains mercury - a substance dangerous to humans and the environment. Such a thermometer is quite fragile, and it will not be difficult to break it, which happens periodically. Simply throwing the fragments in the trash is not enough. You need to know where to dispose of a broken mercury thermometer and how to collect hazardous contents.
The metal itself is not dangerous, but its fumes are poisonous. If measures are not taken to remove traces of mercury in time, inhalation of poisonous air will result in serious problems, up to severe poisoning.
Infected air enters the lungs, where it enters the blood with oxygen. With the blood flow, mercury particles enter all organs, settling in them. In an attempt to remove the poison from the body, the main filters - the liver and kidneys - are activated. They take the hit.
As a result severe poisoning mercury vapor will inevitably cause the following symptoms:
- sleep disturbance;
- memory impairment, absent-mindedness;
- disruptions in the functioning of the cardiovascular system, shortness of breath.
The danger of mercury lies in its invisible, systemic effects on the body Of course, if you break one thermometer containing mercury, it is impossible to get seriously poisoned, but if you do not take measures to eliminate the poisoned residues, disruptions in the body’s functioning are inevitable.
Important: The danger is that already at 18 degrees Celsius, mercury begins to evaporate. Considering that one thermometer contains two grams dangerous substance, approximately 0.18 milligrams of metal enters the air per hour. This amount is enough to “infect” a room of up to 600 cubic meters.
The thermometer broke: what to do?
No matter how careful we are, such situations happen from time to time: glass can burst or break. Simply throwing a mercury thermometer in the trash is not a solution to the situation. Follow the rules; to do this, you need to know how to dispose of a mercury thermometer at home. The algorithm of actions directly depends on the degree of damage to the thermometer.
If the mercury does not leak out
- Take an airtight container. It is good if the dishes are glass and the lid is screwed on.
- Then we work with gloves, put them on and begin to carefully collect the fragments. We put them in a jar.
- Make sure once again that the flask with mercury itself is undamaged and that the mercury has not leaked out. We also put it in a jar. Screw the lid tightly.
- All that remains is to take the container to a collection point for recycling of thermometers.
How to remove the consequences of a broken thermometer If the mercury has leaked
- Remove children and animals from the premises. In addition to the fact that mercury vapor is dangerous, babies can be attracted to shiny balls rolling on the floor. If you don't keep an eye on the child, he can pick them up.
- Call the Ministry of Emergency Situations and report the incident, they are obliged not only to collect all the spilled metal, but also to carry out a procedure for cleaning the room from traces of mercury - decontamination. If for some reason it is not possible to call service employees, there is nothing left to do but collect mercury yourself.
- First of all, put rubber gloves on your hands, shoe covers or strong plastic bags on your feet, and a gauze bandage on your face. It would be a good idea to change your clothes to synthetic ones - mercury will not linger on them. These measures will help protect against harmful fumes and close contact with hazardous metal.
- Carefully inspect the room, determine where the contents of the thermometer have spread. Please note that the balls can break up into small particles, do not rush, look around carefully.
- Mark items on which you notice traces of mercury; chalk or a felt-tip pen will do.
- If the spill area is small, fence it off. This can be done with a wet cloth. This measure will help avoid further spreading of the metal.
- Prepare a container and pour cold water into it. You don’t need to fill a full jar, 3-4 cm in height is enough. Cold water will help prevent further evaporation.
- Even if you wear gloves, do not take mercury balls with your hands; you can do this with cotton swabs or disks. The particles will stick to the surface, after which they are carefully transferred to a jar of water. For better adhesion, dampen the cotton surface sunflower oil or potassium permanganate. Use a piece of paper and slowly roll the balls onto it with another piece of paper.
- It's easier to collect larger balls, so try rolling small balls into one. To do this, take a thin object such as an awl or needle.
- Using the same awl, you can pull out small balls that have rolled down the cracks. In such a situation, you can use a syringe or tape. The syringe will have to be disposed of after this procedure.
- If the room is dimly lit, use a flashlight; metal glows well when light hits it.
- The process of collecting mercury balls is a lengthy undertaking, so do not forget to leave the room every 15-20 minutes for fresh air.
- When particle collection is complete, close the lid of the jar tightly. Get rid of gloves, shoe covers and objects used to collect mercury. If dimensions allow, put them in the same jar where you put the fragments, otherwise pack shoe covers, gloves and available supplies in a separate plastic bag and tie it tightly.
- Ventilate the room; it is better not to go there in the next 24 hours. Every other day, carry out a thorough wet cleaning.
How to properly remove mercury Remember, no matter how well you remove mercury, you still won’t be able to do it completely; the best thing to do is call a special service. She will take the necessary measures to disinfect the premises. Best option, dispose of all items that have been touched by mercury. If among these things there are valuable ones, put this item out for a couple of weeks to air out.
Note: If mercury gets on the carpet or upholstered furniture, it is impossible to cope without a team of demercurization service workers; in this case, the surface is cleaned with chemical solutions. You won’t be able to simply throw away a damaged item; you will harm the environment.
Where to take a damaged thermometer
- The best option is to contact a specialized point. Such points for receiving broken thermometers are available in many major cities, but in small ones populated areas Finding an organization where you can return a broken thermometer is more difficult. By the way, you can scrap not only broken, but also faulty old thermometers that are not damaged in appearance.
- Call the Ministry of Emergency Situations. The specifics of this service also include the decontamination of hazardous substances, such as mercury, and the further disposal of remaining fragments. IN as a last resort, if for some reason employees are unable to go to the site, they will be able to tell you where to put the broken mercury thermometer.
- Contact the nearest clinic, pharmacy or sanitary and epidemiological station; it may turn out that employees of these organizations also accept broken thermometers.
- There are private organizations that accept hazardous waste, call them. They will not only take away the remaining thermometer from you, but will also analyze the air in the room to determine the content of harmful vapors.
Addresses of recycling points
Many apartments still have mercury thermometers. They are familiar, and their testimony is trusted.
Mercury thermometer
How is mercury dangerous?
Mercury is a class 1 toxic substance. It is extremely volatile and evaporates even when negative temperatures. At room temperature the rate of its evaporation increases many times. When you inhale mercury vapor, it enters the lungs and spreads throughout the body. Its peculiarity is that it is extremely difficult to remove mercury that has entered the human body. And it does a lot of harm.
Mercury primarily affects the lungs, liver and kidneys. With high concentration and prolonged exposure, the human brain may be at risk.
Broken thermometer - how to dispose of it
If the thermometer fails (broken or cracked), you must immediately take measures to dispose of it. You can't just throw it in the trash - the consequences can be dire. But the degree of concern and the course of action depends on how exactly the thermometer is damaged.
The thermometer is damaged, but the mercury has not leaked out
- Prepare a hermetically sealed container in which the thermometer will fit. It is better to find a glass container - for example, a jar with a screw cap.
- First of all, you need to put on rubber gloves and further actions carry out only in them. They will protect you from cuts, and if the mercury does leak out, there will be no contact with it.
- Carefully inspect the entire thermometer to make sure there is no mercury leakage.
- Carefully place the thermometer into the prepared container and close it.
- Take the jar along with the thermometer to the nearest disposal point or container. As a last resort, go to a clinic or pharmacy.
Recycling container
Mercury leaked from the thermometer
So that all or part of the mercury has leaked out, then first you need emergency measures to reduce exposure to spilled metal fumes.
Broken thermometer
- Remove children and animals from the room where the spill occurred. The liquid metal breaks up into small shiny balls that look beautiful. Children and animals will definitely want to play with them. Not to mention that this is simply dangerous - they can push some of the balls into hard-to-reach places.
Mercury balls
- Close all doors leading into the room. Place a rag soaked in a soda solution under the doors.
- Open the windows to ventilate the room. But avoid drafts. When there is a draft, mercury vapor will penetrate into other rooms, and mercury balls will spread throughout the room.
Important: if the temperature outside is higher than in the room, then it is better not to provide ventilation. With increasing temperature, mercury vapor increases sharply.
Further actions depend on the possibility of calling specialists. IN big cities There are special mercury services that can dispose of broken thermometers. You can contact the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
If calling a specialist is not possible, then you should begin collecting the hazardous metal yourself. The chances of successful cleaning will be higher if the mercury balls did not scatter throughout the room, but flowed onto a table or smooth floor. If mercury gets on the parquet or spreads across large area It will be difficult to collect it all.
- Put on strong rubber gloves on your hands, shoe covers on your shoes and a gauze mask on your face.
Latex gloves
- This will protect you from accidental contact with mercury and reduce the risk of inhaling its fumes. It also doesn’t hurt to change into synthetic clothes so that mercury balls cannot linger on them.
- Prepare a jar with an airtight lid and pour some water into it. The water should be cold to reduce mercury evaporation.
- If the mercury spill is small, you can fence off the area with thick rope or wet rags. In case of awkward actions when collecting metal balls, they will not roll out of the fenced area.
- When collecting mercury balls, do not touch them with your hands, even with gloves. They should be moved with cotton swabs or swabs. You need to collect them on sheets of paper or napkins. It is useful to soak napkins in sunflower oil - the balls will stick well to this surface.
Mercury collection
- Place the thermometer itself and all the collected mercury, along with napkins and cotton swabs, in a jar of water and close the lid tightly.
Jar with water, mercury and a cracked thermometer
- To collect small balls that have fallen into the cracks of the parquet or rolled under the baseboard, you can use tape or a syringe.
Using a syringe
- Place all items used for collection that do not fit into the container with water - shoe covers, gloves, syringes - into a thick plastic bag and tie it tightly
- Hand over the container and bag to a specialized recycling point
No matter how carefully the mercury is collected, there is no guarantee that all of it has been collected. Therefore, even after carrying out all the actions, it is recommended to call the emergency services or paid organizations to check the level of mercury vapor in the apartment. Give them the collected mercury and objects in contact with it. It is advisable to dispose of everything that came into contact with mercury. But if there is something valuable among them, then this item should be put out for airing for several weeks.
Mercury got on difficult surfaces - carpet, upholstered furniture
If fleecy objects are contaminated - carpets, furniture, shoes, then complete elimination of the dangerous substance is impossible. It is recommended not to leave such things in the house. But just throwing them out into the street or in the trash is wrong. They must be immediately taken outside, but carefully so that all the mercury that gets on them does not roll off.
Already on the street, collect as many dangerous balls as possible from them, using all the precautions discussed. If decontamination specialists are expected to arrive, then, of course, you need to trust them to carry out these procedures.
What not to do with a broken thermometer
- Do not simply throw a damaged thermometer down the garbage disposal, sewer, or try to bury it in the ground.
- Create drafts in an infected room
- Collect mercury with a brush or broom. When cleaning this way, some of the balls will probably crumble and roll to the side.
- Do not use a vacuum cleaner under any circumstances! Not only because it will then have to be handed over for recycling. Mercury vapor, and even heated in the vacuum cleaner, will be spread throughout the room.
In general, it is better to rely on help in removing mercury special services. Before their arrival, carry out only the most necessary actions - removal from dangerous place all people and animals, isolate the contaminated premises.
Impact of mercury on the environment and humans
The danger of improper disposal of mercury is its long-term impact on the environment and its inhabitants. Once in the soil, it is absorbed by plants, and with them it can enter the body of animals and humans. After that it is difficult to get her out of there.
This substance can accumulate for years, and when it reacts with acid derivatives, it forms even more toxic compounds. Its extraordinary ability to evaporate causes serious poisoning not only when ingesting contaminated food, but also when inhaling its toxic fumes.
In a person whose body has been exposed to mercury in one form or another, signs of poisoning may appear within a few days. With prolonged exposure to mercury poisons, dysfunction of many organs occurs - liver, kidneys, lungs. Ultimately, this leads to the development of chronic diseases. Hitting a large dose of this toxic substance into the human body can lead to death. There are many similar cases in history.
One should not think that the small amount of mercury contained in a thermometer is incapable of causing dangerous effects. These few grams, if not eliminated promptly and correctly, can seriously poison everyone living in the contaminated room with their fumes.
Where should you take your mercury thermometer for recycling?
There is no complete order with the disposal of mercury thermometers and containers with collected mercury, even in big cities. There are stationary points and terminals for the collection of mercury-containing items, and in Moscow and St. Petersburg there are even vehicles designed for mobile collection of hazardous substances.
Old mercury thermometers should also be taken there, even if they are not damaged. If there are no such points nearby or their addresses are unknown, then you should choose one of the following options:
- Call the Ministry of Emergency Situations. The workers of this service are able to disinfect the apartment themselves. As a last resort, they will advise on how best to cope with the infection and suggest disposal addresses.
- You can hand over the collected remains of the thermometer and mercury to a clinic, sanitary and epidemiological station or the nearest pharmacy
- There are paid services that carry out disinfection, accept hazardous waste, and analyze indoor air after disposal.
In any case, it is worth checking for the presence of mercury vapor in the room where the thermometer was broken. No matter how carefully the metal is removed, there is still a chance that part of it remains undetected. The test will reveal the danger or convince you of its complete absence.
How is final disposal carried out?
After collecting waste containing mercury, it is sent to demercurization enterprises. There, mercury is converted into a state that is not dangerous to the environment.
The thermal method involves intensive evaporation of mercury in a specialized installation. At the end of the process, mercury vapor is captured in cooled traps.
Mercury waste is treated with reagents that convert pure mercury into slightly soluble ones chemical compounds, which are not poisonous.
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