Where to throw the mercury thermometer?

According to the laws on environmental protection, it is forbidden to throw hazardous substances and objects containing them into general garbage collection points. Where to throw the mercury thermometer in this case, after all, does it relate specifically to such objects? In this article you will find the answer to this question and to many others regarding the disposal of hazardous mercury.

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Where to dispose of a mercury thermometer?

Not every city can boast of places for the collection and disposal of hazardous waste. As a rule, such points are only in large cities. Private companies are often involved in this, but they require a fee for the services provided.

So where to get a mercury thermometer if there are no eco-organizations or a recycling center in your city? In this case, you must contact a pharmacy or clinic. These institutions, in accordance with applicable law, must accept such items and continue to act as prescribed.

If the pharmacy and the hospital refused to accept the dangerous item, then you can call the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

Important! Since the case concerns mercury vapor harmful and dangerous to humans, the Ministry of Emergencies is not entitled to refuse to grant your request.

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How to dispose of mercury? - Rules of transportation

Deciding where to take the mercury thermometer is half the story. You must also know how to properly collect and transport harmful liquid metal to its destination.

Important! If an irreparable happened and the thermometer crashes, do not panic. It is necessary to immediately begin to eliminate the consequences.

Mercury Collection Rules:

1. Remove all people and pets from the room where the incident occurred. Take care of children, pregnant women and the elderly in the first place.

Important! So you will not only protect your relatives from the effects of harmful mercury vapors, but also prevent the spread of metal through the living room by transferring it to shoes or clothes.

2. With a side light, highlight the place where the thermometer fell. Thus, droplets of liquid metal will be better visible.

Important! Mercury must be collected from the periphery to the center.

3. To prevent the balls from spreading and crushing them into smaller parts, eliminate any hint of a draft.
4. If the air temperature in the street is much lower than in the house, then you should open a window to cool the room. Thus, the evaporation of metal vapor with a decrease in temperature will not occur so quickly.
5. Wear protective gloves on your hands and shoe covers on your shoes. Protect the airways with a gauze bandage.
6. Take two sheets of paper, use one of them as a scoop, and the second as a brush.

Important! In no case do not use a broom to collect mercury, as it will break the balls into smaller particles and spread them over a large area.

Vacuum cleaner is also prohibited. Using it, you will only contribute to the rapid evaporation of mercury and ruin the device. After this application, the dust suction unit cannot be used for its intended purpose.

1. Retract small mercury balls with a rubber bulb or syringe.
2. Collect the smallest particles with the sticky side of tape or adhesive.

Important! The collected mercury should be placed in a jar of water. Water will inhibit the evaporation of the metal.

How to pack assembled metal?

1. After cleaning, the jar of water and collected metal must be closed with a tight lid.
2. Items that were used during the elimination of the “accident” should be collected in a dense plastic bag and returned with mercury and a broken thermometer.

Important! If particles of mercury get on your clothing, never wash the product in the washing machine. It is best to dispose of such clothing.

3. The entire room where the incident occurred must be treated with a disinfectant solution.

Important! Wet cleaning should be repeated several times, not for two weeks after what happened.

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Where can I not throw a thermometer?

• It is forbidden to throw the mercury thermometer together with other household waste in the trash or garbage chute.

Important! Two grams of mercury, which are in the thermometer, can pollute six thousand cubic meters of air.

• Do not dispose of mercury by flushing metal in the toilet. Thus, the residual gray liquid will settle in the pipes, and it will be practically impossible to extract it.
• Attempts to dispose of the mercury thermometer yourself is better not to do. If you bury it in the ground or throw it into the river, you will significantly harm the environment, and you will also have problems with the law.

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The problem of a broken mercury thermometer is quite common, but unfortunately, not everyone knows what to do in this situation. The opinion that nothing really bad will happen from such a small amount of metal is fundamentally wrong. It is possible that ailments and health problems do not appear immediately, but after a few years. Therefore, take measures to properly dispose of harmful substances. The best option for all people would be the rejection of such unsafe medical items, as long-developed countries did. But in our situation, whether to make an unsafe zone out of your home, having a mercury thermometer in your home medicine cabinet, or not, is the concern of each of us.