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Mercury in
Business
Businesses
Most Affected
Several types of businesses may have mercury-containing
items associated with their work. Work environments
that may have mercury-containing items present include:
Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC), Furnace,
and Plumbing
HVAC, furnace, and plumbing companies deal with items that
may contain mercury. Mercury thermostats and switches
are often sold, replaced, and disposed of in these
businesses. There are excellent non-mercury
thermostats available that can be purchased for replacement.
Plumbers and maintenance staff can find mercury in pipes or
even in the flooring when working around old plumbing in
schools, labs, hospitals or even homes
As long as mercury-containing items are intact, they are
considered to be safe. When these items break due to
accidents or improper handling or storage, mercury exposure
can occur. Proper handling and disposal of thermostats
and other mercury-containing items is important.
Learn how to properly handle
and dispose of mercury-containing products.
Employers can create safeguards for proper purchase,
handling, storage, use, and disposal of these items by
creating operating procedures on how to handle
mercury-containing items. Safety information and
designated "employees only" areas can help keep
customers and visitors protected from accidental exposures.
Additional information is available from the
Oregon Air Conditioning Contractors of American (ACCA).
Property
Management and Leasing Companies
Property
management and leasing companies may have a large amount of
mercury-containing items in their locations. Office
buildings, businesses, laboratories, older homes, rental
units, and other spaces for sale or rent may use
mercury-containing fluorescent and high-intensity lights,
thermostats, mercury-containing switches. When these
locations are constructed, remodeled, or demolished, the
mercury-containing items should always be handled and
disposed of properly. Learn
how to properly handle and dispose of mercury-containing
products.
Construction and
Demolition
Businesses
that perform construction and demolition tasks face many
mercury-related hazards. In addition to safety
factors, many items that are used or destroyed can contain
hazardous materials. Many lights, switches, and
pressure gauges contain mercury. These items, while
safe when used properly, can become hazardous when they are
no longer intact.
Those possibly at risk include construction and demolition
crew and managers, or those people who visit or work near or
on construction or demolition sites, due to the likelihood
of breakage of mercury-containing products. Care
should be taken to properly handle and dispose of these
items when large scale demolition is performed in order to
protect the workers, the community, and the environment from
hazardous material releases. Many construction and
demolition companies will be CE-SQGs, and will be able to
dispose of the items at a Moderate Risk Waste (MRW)
facility. The
Department of Ecology provides additional resources and
information for businesses that engage in demolition,
construction, or renovation projects.
Health Organizations
Mercury can be found in thermometers, sphygmomanometers
(blood pressure cuffs), fluorescent lamps, high intensity
lamps, laboratory chemicals, cleaners, batteries, switches
and other products used in health care.
Health organizations should have mercury spill kits and
emergency procedures to deal with mercury exposures.
To learn more mercury in health care, please visit
Health Care
Without Harm or the
National
Institutes of Health's Mercury Abatement projects.
Dental
Personnel
Dental amalgam is the silver filling material used to fill
many cavities. Amalgam contains inorganic mercury that
is a problem if spilled or handled improperly. Persons
that could be at risk in dentistry include dentists, dental
assistants and technicians, X-Ray technicians,
administrative personnel, and patients.
Dental amalgam waste is now to be captured in separators and
removed from sinks in dental facilities. The waste is
collected and should be properly disposed of as hazardous
waste at a licensed reclamation center or through a
hazardous waste vendor.
The Washington State Dental Association and the Department
of Ecology have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
regarding mercury waste. Both parties acknowledge the
importance of implementing mercury-reduction actions
published in the
Washington State Mercury Chemical Action Plan .
King County is a national leader in their dental standards
regarding use of amalgam separators.
Additional information about dental waste disposal
requirements in Washington State is available from the
Department of
Ecology.
Auto Manufacturers, Dealers, Parts, and Recyclers
Auto dealers, recyclers and demolition/wrecking businesses,
parts distributors, and manufacturers may have hazardous
materials that could create a possible exposure.
Switches that control the lights in trunks and hood, and air
bag deflection systems and halogen car lamps may contain
mercury.
These products should be removed prior to
demolition and at the end of life and disposed properly. New
legislation and cooperation with manufacturers is helping to
eliminate some mercury switches, but cars manufactured
before 2002 remain a concern. There have been programs
which involve replacing mercury switches with non-mercury
varieties including some by AAA. For more information on
replacing mercury switches,
visit AAA.
Mercury is contained in some manometers and other pressure
gauges used in the auto industry. Fluorescent and high
intensity lights used indoors and on automobile lots may
contain mercury. When these lights are handled
properly, they are considered to be safe. They should
not be placed in the garbage or recycling bins, but treated
as hazardous waste and disposed of properly by a hazardous
waste vendor or the local hazardous waste collection
facility, if the business is a Small Quantity Generator (SQG).
A list of hazardous waste vendors is available from the
Department of Ecology. Persons at risk in this
business sector include employers, employees, contractors,
and customers.
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