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What to do if
a mercury necklace breaks?

 

Health Concerns about

Mercury in Necklaces 

 

Necklaces from Mexico have resulted in mercury spills at schools. Unaware of the hazards, the fragile necklaces are brought in by students. Once broken, the amount of mercury spilled can warrant a hazardous cleanup response and evacuation.  Whether at school or home, mercury spills from broken necklaces left unattended may pose a health threat.  To raise awareness, the Washington State Department of Health compiled the following resources on health effects, spill cleanup, and safe disposal of mercury necklaces.  

Picture ofsiliver mercury necklace
Picture of mercury necklace with yellow-orange liquid

 What do the necklaces look like?

The necklaces are often a beaded chain, cord, or leather strand with a glass pendant that contains mercury.  The mercury appears as a silvery clump of liquid that rolls around in the hollow glass pendant.  The glass pendant may also be filled with brightly colored liquid - red, green, blue, yellow - along with the mercury.  Pendants can come in various shapes such as hearts, bottles, balls, saber teeth, and chili peppers. 

 

 What is the concern?

Mercury is released when the glass is broken or when it leaks around the pendant's cord anchor.  Once mercury spills, it breaks into tiny beads that can roll into cracks in floor coverings or walls, or become trapped in carpet.  If spilled in or around heating ducts, mercury can quickly vaporize and possibly spread throughout the building or home.  Without proper cleanup, people may be exposed to hazardous mercury vapors.

 

 Do mercury vapors affect my health?

Very small amounts of liquid mercury, just a few drops, can vaporize and reach levels that may be harmful to health.  At high levels, mercury vapors may cause effects such as respiratory difficulties (shortness of breath, pain and tightness in the chest, and coughing), nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, increases in blood pressure or heart rate, skin rashes, and eye irritation.  Exposure to mercury vapors can also lead to damage of the central nervous system.  The severity of harm depends on the level of mercury you are exposed to, the length of your exposure, and your individual sensitivity.  Central nervous system effects may include irritability, shyness, tremors, changes in vision or hearing, and memory problems.  Developing fetuses and young children are particularly vulnerable to the health effects of mercury. 

 What to do about a mercury spill?

  • Do not attempt to cleanup a mercury spill.

  • Especially, do not use a vacuum cleaner to cleanup a spill.  A vacuum cleaner will spread mercury vapors into the air and increase the exposure.  

  • Contact:

  • Washington Poison Center at 1-800-732-6985

  • Washington State Department of Ecology
    Spill Response (24 hours):

      SW Regional Office (Olympia) (360) 407-6300
      NW Regional Office (Bellevue) (425) 649-7000
      Central Regional Office (Yakima) (509) 575-2490
      Eastern Regional Office (Spokane) (509) 456-2926
      or Ecology - Emergency Management 1-800-258-5990

 Who do I contact on proper disposal of mercury necklaces?

Take your unbroken necklaces to a household hazardous waste collection center that accepts mercury.  For the nearest collection center to you, contact:

Call the collection center for instructions in how to properly transport the necklaces, or seal the necklaces in a hard plastic container.

 

 Additional Information

 

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Washington State Department of Health
Office of Environmental Health, Safety, and Toxicology

PO Box 47825, Olympia, WA 98504-7825
Phone: 360-236-3385 or 360-236-3184
Toll Free: 1-888-586-9427 or 1-877-485-7316

 

Last Update: 08/19/2009 11:24 AM

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