Remove a broken thermometer at home. What to do if the thermometer breaks

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When my child broke a mercury thermometer, I realized that I didn’t know what to do or how to do the right thing. Great, I know that this metal in the air is poison, but how to properly collect mercury balls has already been completely forgotten since Life Safety lessons.

And I believe that every family should know the correct actions from the moment of protecting themselves from poisoning to disposal.

Mercury is a first class toxin, and the greatest harm from it occurs when inhaling the vapors!

It evaporates at temperatures above 18 degrees.

Under no circumstances should the balls be collected with a broom or vacuum cleaner. When collected with a broom, the mercury begins to be broken into smaller pieces by the hard bristles; as a result, evaporation occurs faster and it is very difficult to remove the smallest particles. The dangerous metal is rubbed into the carpet and lodged in the bristles.

When collected with a vacuum cleaner, it will begin to actively evaporate, i.e. you suck it up with a vacuum cleaner, it will begin to be thrown out through the return filtration system and enter the air in tiny particles. Moreover, the vacuum cleaner heats up during operation, thereby heating up the mercury. You can create a toxic mixture in the air.

You need to start collecting balls with simple steps.

The first step is to remove children and other adults from the room. You can open the window, but on condition that there is no draft!

The second step is to protect ourselves from vapor poisoning. We put plastic bags on shoes and socks. Wear rubber household gloves on your hands.

You need to protect your respiratory organs: take gauze and a disposable mask. We roll the gauze into several layers and put it into the mask. And this bandage must be wet. If there is nothing, then wet and tie a towel or diaper around the airways. This way you will be safer from toxins.

The third step is to prevent the mercury from spreading throughout the room. Try to enclose the balls with a damp cloth folded into a rope so that they do not spread throughout the apartment.

Fourth step, collect the balls. You can do this with tape, a medical plaster, or, in extreme cases, two sheets of paper. You can also use a rubber bulb or syringe.

We put the stuck balls together with the tape into a jar of water (solution) and seal it tightly.

It is better to use a chlorine-containing solution or a soda solution, they are neutralizing.

Solution recipe: 1 liter of boiled water, 40 g of laundry soap, 50 g of soda.

You need to disinfect the surface after you have collected all the balls. To do this, treat the area where the mercury comes into contact with the floor with a chlorine-containing solution. Simply wet the cloth and place it on the floor in the desired location. We hold for an hour. After this, we treat the area with soapy water and do a wet cleaning of the room.

According to the law, the collected metal must be handed over to the Ministry of Emergency Situations. It is advisable to also hand over the clothes you wore during cleaning, gloves and everything you were wearing.

Under no circumstances should we throw it into the water or sewer, bury it in the ground, or put it in the refrigerator!

If mercury gets on the carpet, it is advisable to remove it from the apartment. After collection, the carpet must be ventilated for up to 3 months.

If you have small children, keep this reminder.

What are the possible health consequences?

Naturally, if the room temperature is higher, the mercury will evaporate faster. Therefore, if the balls have rolled under the battery, you need to start collecting it from there first.

Two grams contained in a thermometer are enough to poison 6,000 cubic meters of air.

Signs of mercury poisoning:

Nausea,
headache,
cramps,
increased fatigue,
metallic taste in the mouth,
irritability,
irregular twitching of the eyelids and fingers.

If symptoms are severe, consult a doctor!

Greetings, my dears! You seem to be in trouble - the thermometer in your apartment has broken, what should you do? The first question is how to collect mercury and what the consequences may be. Calm down, I have collected all the most important things in one article. I will offer you a clear step-by-step algorithm of actions, which you can even print out just in case.

And you know, after wandering around the forums at one time, I became convinced that almost every person has broken a thermometer at least once in their life. I have read so many stories about broken thermometers! And I’ll share some today. Let them reassure you and confirm that you are not alone...

Well, let's get started - because now it is important for you to receive instructions for action as soon as possible...

What to do if a thermometer in an apartment breaks, what to do and what not to do? Where to call, who to contact? Calm down, now we will resolve all these issues.

I’ll say right away: if your city has a special service for neutralizing mercury, call them and don’t bother! Professionals will check the level of air pollution, use special instruments to find all the rolled balls and treat the surfaces with a special demercurization solution.

After this, the environmental safety of your home will be restored. This is especially true if you have not found mercury. Or mercury leaked onto a fleecy surface: on a sofa, on a carpet.

The backup option is to call the Ministry of Emergency Situations on the single number 112. They also deal with mercury neutralization, although not as willingly as private companies. The team may not come to you. The attendant will simply advise you on how to properly collect mercury from the floor.

And then the rescuers will come and take away the collected balls and everything that came into contact with them. Not immediately, but during the day, when there is time. In this case, you will have to process all surfaces yourself.

The third option is to act completely independently. That's why I'm writing this article, to help you. And if you decide to fight pollution alone, let's figure it out further.

Mercury is an incredibly mobile liquid substance, which already at 18 degrees turns into vapor. Therefore, when a thermometer breaks, mercury appears simultaneously on three “floors” of your living space:

in the air,
on furniture and on the floor,
in cracks below floor level.

And all these levels need to be cleared!!!

The main danger is mercury vapor. It is through the lungs that poison most easily penetrates the body. The skin also allows mercury to pass through well. But this poison is practically not absorbed through the stomach and intestines.

I have come across many stories about how someone’s child/nephew/acquaintance swallowed a ball of mercury as a child - and nothing, he is still alive to this day! For me it’s still creepy, because this substance is not excreted from the body. Such stories are usually cited as proof that there is nothing dangerous about a broken thermometer. But you now know that this is not so. Mercury simply enters the body through a different route.

How to collect mercury if a thermometer breaks

And now, step by step, we will demercurize the house on our own.

Step 1. Make sure that mercury does not spread throughout the apartment. Close the door in the room where the thermometer broke. Open the window there. In other rooms, do not open the windows yet so that mercury vapor does not escape there. Place a wet rag around the mercury spill area.

Step 2. Protect yourself and your loved ones. Remove children from the room where the mercury has been spilled. It's best to send them for a walk. Take care of yourself at the same time. You will need:

gloves,
mask,
shoe covers.

Instead of a mask, a piece of gauze folded several times or a scarf will do. Moisten this bandage with water, so its protective properties will increase. Shoe covers can be replaced with two ordinary plastic bags.

Step 3. Collect mercury. Arm yourself with a jar with a lid. Pour some water into it to prevent the mercury from evaporating.

Forget about a broom, rags and a vacuum cleaner. A broom will break large drops of mercury into microdroplets, which, like cockroaches, will crawl into all the cracks. A rag will do the same. And the vacuum cleaner will generally convert the swallowed mercury into steam and disperse it throughout the house...

The following will help you collect mercury at home:

Two sheets of paper - carefully, with the edge, squeeze small droplets into a larger one and send it to the jar.
Wet cotton wool, newspaper or napkin.
Brush.
A syringe or syringe - they are good at drawing mercury from the cracks.
Everything is sticky. Plasticine, tape, adhesive plaster, bread crumb are suitable here. The idea is to stick them on small balls of mercury and throw them away. You just need to glue it several times in the same place.

Well, how did it all work out? You are just great! But it’s too early to relax.

Step 4. Treat the surface.

To neutralize the remaining mercury, you need to convert it into a non-volatile compound. I will list you several ways to treat surfaces, and you choose.

Potassium permanganate. You need to make a dark, almost opaque solution. Add a spoonful of table salt and a tablespoon of 9% vinegar or a pinch of citric acid per liter of solution. Spray the solution and leave to dry for 6-8 hours. Then wash the surface with a soap-soda solution (a liter of water, 40 g of soda and 40 g of soap). Repeat this wash every day for several days, with the difference that you can wash off the potassium permanganate in just an hour.
"White". Prepare a strong solution: 8 liters of water, liter of “Whiteness”. Rinse the surface with this solution and leave for 15 minutes. Wash off with a solution of potassium permanganate (1 gram of powder per 8 liters of water). For the next few days, we simply wash the floors with any chlorine-containing solution. Domestos, for example.
Soap-soda solution: for 1 liter of water, 50 g of baking soda and 50 g of laundry soap. This option is suitable if you have nothing at hand, but chlorine and potassium permanganate are still better.

I remember the story of one mother, a chemist. When her baby broke the thermometer, she used her knowledge and... covered the entire corridor with powdered sulfur. She knew that sulfur combines with mercury and neutralizes it.

So take note of this option as well. It might come in handy.

And we have very little left.

Step 5: Throw away anything that the mercury came into contact with.

Yes Yes. In this case, “everything” means EVERYTHING. Not just mercury balls in a jar of water, gloves, a brush, paper, a rag, a syringe and a syringe. But also:

The chlorine solution you used to clean the floor.
All clothes and shoes that have been exposed to mercury.
A vacuum cleaner, if you happen to use it to collect the remains of a broken thermometer.
A washing machine, if you accidentally washed clothes contaminated with mercury in it...

The list will have to be continued depending on the circumstances. It will include both carpet and upholstered furniture that cannot be treated. If they are very dear to you, call a special dry cleaner.

Perhaps many of you, reading this paragraph, twirled your finger at your temple... Well, it's up to you. I'll just tell you one story.

The husband of one of the women broke the thermometer and collected the mercury with a vacuum cleaner. When she mentioned that the vacuum cleaner was now hazardous to health, her husband brushed her off. But the wife was persistent and called specialists. They took measurements, and it turned out that mercury contamination in the carpet exceeded the permissible level by 700 times! After this, both the carpet and the vacuum cleaner were thrown away.

What to do with a broken thermometer

When everything is over, the house is clean and calm, the question arises, where to put the mercury and everything that came into contact with it? Where to throw away a broken thermometer? There are only two options here:

Call the Ministry of Emergency Situations
Transfer to specialists of the demercurization service.

That's all! Because the mercury from the garbage disposal will spread throughout the house. Moreover, 2 grams of mercury from one thermometer can poison 6,000 cubic meters of air. And in the sewer system, mercury balls are “soldered” to the pipes and for many years they can little by little “poison” the water and air in your home.

What if the glass is intact, the mercury did not leak out, and the thermometer simply broke inside? And in this case, it should be handed over to the Ministry of Emergency Situations or a special collection point.

The thermometer broke in the apartment - consequences

When a thermometer breaks in an apartment, the consequences may not appear immediately. This was the reason for the talk about the “safety” of broken mercury thermometers.

In one children's clinic, the floors were somehow re-done. When the boards were lifted, the space under the floor was literally strewn with mercury balls. So many thermometers have been broken in the office over the years! And no one knew about this for the time being.

So is it dangerous to ignore a broken thermometer?

Yes, it's dangerous. The symptoms of mercury poisoning are so non-specific that they may simply not be associated with the trouble that happened a few weeks ago. Insomnia, fatigue, headaches, nervousness, low blood pressure, poor appetite... This is not fatal. But the functioning of some systems in the body - endocrine and cardiovascular - may still be disrupted.

Tell me, do you want to feel bad because your body is fighting poison? And if a pregnant woman inhales mercury, it can affect the baby. So it's not worth the risk!

You may be wondering how long it takes for mercury to erode. It depends on how you ventilate it. It is most reasonable to open the windows after treatment and create a draft for several hours. But only after all measures have been completed. After this you can rest easy.

I'm proud of you, dears. You did it. And I, as always, cannot leave you without a reward. And as a bonus, I have prepared a small reminder for you. It can be printed and pasted. For example, on the lid of a first aid kit. Or on the inside of a cabinet door. In general, wherever you want, as long as she catches your eye in time...

Need to	It is forbidden
Open a window in a room and close the door	Create a draft
Put on: · latex gloves, · shoe covers or bags for feet.	· Touch mercury with bare hands, · step on the balls.
Leave the room every 15 minutes.	Stay for a long time in a room where mercury has leaked.
Collect mercury using: · 2 sheets of paper; · tape, adhesive tape; · plasticine or bread crumb; · syringe; · syringes.	· Sweep with a broom or brush; · wipe with a rag; · vacuuming.
Collect mercury in a jar of water and hand it over to the Ministry of Emergency Situations	· Throw mercury balls into the garbage disposal. · Pour water after collecting mercury down the drain. · take it to the trash.
Treat the mercury spill site with one of the following solutions: · Whiteness · Potassium permanganate Soap and soda solution	Wash floors as usual.
Hand over to the Ministry of Emergency Situations all items that have been in contact with mercury.	Wash items contaminated with mercury in a washing machine

And I say goodbye to you. Now you know what to do if a thermometer in your apartment breaks, how to collect mercury and where to put it. Be healthy! And check back, I have a lot of useful stuff here.

Until next time, Anastasia Smolinets

Has your mercury thermometer broken at home? The main thing is not to panic. If this unpleasant situation occurs, then it is necessary to clearly follow the steps to destroy the hazardous material. This can happen in every home, but it is not a disaster. You should always be prepared for various household emergencies. Children must be informed of the need in this case to notify adults or call the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

The dangers of mercury

Mercury is a highly toxic harmful substance and belongs to hazard class 1. The main poisons are vapors that, when entering the human body, gradually destroy it deplorably. When broken, small mercury balls can roll into cracks, corners, and under baseboards. Staying indoors for a long time, they will gradually evaporate, thereby harming all living things. Mercury volatilization occurs at a temperature of 18-19C, metal vapors enter through the lungs, as well as the skin and mucous tissues.

Affected areas:

Central nervous system. There is a feeling of fear, insomnia, memory loss, depression and paralysis.
The respiratory organs are the lungs and bronchi. There is a constant lack of air, shortness of breath, asthmatic attacks, and symptomatic bronchial contractions.
Internal organs. In the kidneys, liver and thyroid gland, the insidious metal settles and accumulates gradually. The toxin slowly destroys every cell of all living things.
It affects the placental barrier, threatening the intrauterine development of the fetus. Pregnant women are strictly prohibited from coming into contact with very harmful metal. If an unpleasant tragedy occurs with a thermometer, it is better to contact special services for the disposal of this substance.

Mercury vapor is dangerous because it is odorless and completely colorless. It can only be detected using a special device. At a temperature of 18 o C, the insidious metal begins to intensively evaporate into the atmosphere, entering the body, it is no longer removed from it. But in order to accumulate a large dose of heavy metal in the human body, you need to stay indoors for several months or even years. Excessive MPC concentrations threaten the development of severe chronic diseases and range from 0.001 to 0.004 mg/m3. Inhalation of about two grams of poison can lead to fatal intoxication.

Symptoms of poisoning

Depending on the dose of mercury vapor, poisoning can be acute or chronic. It should be understood that if there were very severe poisonings leading to death, then thermometers would no longer be produced. But still, cases of poisoning occur as a result of negligence and incorrect actions to destroy mercury balls.

Symptoms of acute poisoning:

weakness, chills, weakness and malaise of the whole body, symptoms similar to acute respiratory disease;
dizziness, cramping pain in the head and neck area;
excessive salivation, bleeding gums;
constantly nauseated, gag reflexes and diarrhea occur periodically;
a metallic taste appears in the mouth.

In advanced forms, shortness of breath, continuous cough, heart pain and a sharp increase in temperature.

Symptoms of chronic poisoning:

fever, nervous tic;
choking, continuous cough with expectoration of blood and mucus;
fear, irritability, photophobia and insomnia.

The degree of poisoning depends on the concentration of mercury vapor accumulations. All this will not happen if you make the right operational decision to dispose of the harmful substance.

Step-by-step action plan for mercury disposal

If a mercury thermometer breaks, you can immediately contact special services, for example, the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Confusion and panic will have a number of serious consequences. The measures to destroy a broken thermometer are not that difficult.

First of all, make oxygen available to the room by opening windows and possibly doors.
It is advisable to remove children, pregnant women and animals from the room where the thermometer broke.
Prepare a concentrated solution of potassium permanganate and a soda solution with the addition of any detergent.
Try to find a medical bulb or syringe, you can use any brush, tape, adhesive tape or tape.
Wear a mask, rubber or surgical gloves, shoe covers.
Carefully collect the fragments from the thermometer into a jar of water. You can try to drive small balls of mercury onto a sheet of paper with cotton wool; if that doesn’t work, then use an adhesive material (adhesive tape, tape). Inspect hard-to-reach places, crevices and use a bulb or syringe. Place everything collected in a jar of water.
Treat the floor and damaged surface first with a solution of potassium permanganate, and then with a soap-soda mixture. You can also use alkaline laundry soap or chlorinated products.
Place the mask, clothing, gloves and can with contents in a bag and dispose of it. There are paid waste disposal services, you can also contact the Ministry of Emergency Situations or independently take it outside the populated area to a landfill, burying all the collected equipment.

After cleaning, treat the oral cavity with soda water and take water procedures. You can take any adsorbents, such as activated carbon or smecta.

For the first two weeks, daily ventilation and treatment of floors with soap or chlorinated solution is mandatory.

Prohibitory actions:

If you use a vacuum cleaner, the mercury will begin to actively evaporate and be thrown out, resulting in a monstrously toxic mixture being created. The toxin settles inside, and later, when the vacuum cleaner operates, particles of the insidious metal will be sprayed throughout the apartment or house.
Use a broom, broom and dustpan, as the mercury balls will be firmly attached between the small ears.
Throw away the broken thermometer in a general trash can, garbage chute, or on the street.
Rinse mercury beads down drains.
It is strictly forbidden to create drafts until the mercury of the broken thermometer is removed.
Contact clothing cannot be washed in a washing machine or by hand; it must also be subject to mandatory disposal.
Efficiency and speed of correct decisions will protect loved ones and all household members from negative consequences.

Objective advantages of a mercury thermometer

In our modern times, electronic and digital technologies are increasingly developing, displacing previously created objects. But there are also irreplaceable things that are simple and convenient in everyday use. The well-known mercury medical thermometer, which remains the most common human body temperature meter, has had a long service and benefit from year to year. Due to its high parameters, the indicators are considered the most accurate and reliable. At the same time, the thermometer is not subject to the negative influences of various third-party factors. The design is as simple as possible and easy to use. In comparison with electronic and digital goods, a mercury thermometer has a priority advantage in the price category.

Chronic mercury poisoning. A small amount of mercury can poison the body for a long time, if mercury breaks somewhere in the apartment and the thermometer is not removed. Obvious signs of mercury poisoning may not be immediately observed. But gradually the state of health worsens, headaches, fatigue, irritability, and insomnia appear. With prolonged exposure, the hands, eyelids, and in severe cases, the whole body begin to tremble. Mercury affects the human nervous system.

What to do if a mercury thermometer is broken?

There is no need to panic, there is little mercury in that place. You need to take all the people out of the room and simply collect all the silver balls from the surface. It is prohibited to collect them with a broom or vacuum cleaner; they will become contaminated with mercury and will have to be thrown away later. Large droplets are collected with a sheet of paper or an unnecessary brush into a jar. Smaller balls can be collected with adhesive tape or a wet cotton swab.

It is best to close the collected mercury well in a jar, filling it with water so that it does not evaporate. The surface on which there were objects and the mercury with which it came into contact is treated with a strong solution of potassium permanganate or iodine. To neutralize mercury, it is covered with sulfur, but in most cases this substance is not kept in the apartment. If mercury gets on the tiled surface, it must be washed with any chlorine-containing product.

After the mercury has been collected, the room must be well and continuously ventilated. Some small particles of the harmful substance will still remain, evaporate and poison the atmosphere.

What should you not do if there is a mercury spill?

Under no circumstances should you throw it down the toilet or pour it into the sewer. Mercury is heavy, it settles in the pipes, evaporating and poisoning you and your neighbors.
It is forbidden to throw mercury balls into the garbage chute; its fumes will pollute the atmosphere of the entire house.
It is forbidden to collect it with a broom or vacuum cleaner; mercury breaks into small balls and evaporates faster, and the vacuum cleaner and broom will need to be thrown away.
It is forbidden to create a draft in the room before the mercury is collected; small balls may fly apart.
It is forbidden to turn on the air conditioner - mercury will settle on the filters.

Where to put the mercury from the thermometer later?

The easiest thing is to tell the duty officer from the Ministry of Emergency Situations and find out what to do in your city. Perhaps there is a special recycling point in your locality and they will advise you where to bring it. But they may think that 1-2 grams will not cause harm and will advise you to throw it away. Then it would be right to take it outside the residential area, to a landfill or to a place where domestic animals and people rarely visit, and bury it in that place. As a last resort, take it to the trash container, packing the can so that the mercury does not spill before it ends up in a landfill. Spilled mercury will evaporate over time, enter into chemical reactions with other substances and become harmless. But it’s better if this happens not in your home, but somewhere away from animals and people.

What to do if mercury is found somewhere?

From time to time, mercury is found spilled in the entrance, at the workplace, and from time to time children find it. Such cases, unfortunately, are not rare. Having found mercury, you need to call the Ministry of Emergency Situations or the sanitary station, the civil defense headquarters, the police in that place will certainly advise where to go or they themselves will inform the appropriate work. This is an emergency situation and there is no need to deal with it on your own. Do not forget that under no circumstances is it possible to determine how much of the terrible substance was spilled, where it flowed and how much evaporated.

Neutralizing mercury is not an easy task; it even has the name demercurization. Experts treat the room with chemicals that react with the mercury and neutralize it, and then wash off the compounds.

It is perhaps difficult to find a family whose first aid kit does not have a mercury thermometer. Many people know that this item should be handled very carefully, because a broken thermometer poses a direct threat to health. However, not everyone knows how to eliminate the consequences of such an “accident” and what exactly it threatens. In this article we will try to figure out in detail what to do if the thermometer breaks.

What does a mercury thermometer consist of?

A mercury thermometer has a very simple design, and therefore, of course, its operation is very convenient. Moreover, unlike a digital thermometer, this one has a lower cost and its readings are more accurate. The device is made in the form of a glass tube, both ends of which are sealed. As a result, an absolute vacuum without air is created in the tube. At one end of this tube there is a reservoir that is filled with mercury. In addition, in the thermometer it is easy to notice the temperature scale, which has divisions of 0.1 degrees. It is worth noting that the place connecting the reservoir with mercury and the tube narrows, and for this reason the mercury does not move in the opposite direction. Thanks to this design, temperature readings can be maintained after reaching the maximum value. Touching the skin, the mercury reservoir heats up, which is why the mercury has the opportunity to expand and rise. Having reached the maximum value, mercury stops expanding, freezing at a certain number. Typically, ten minutes or a little less is enough to measure the temperature. Taking into account the fact that the thermometer contains mercury, it must be handled very carefully, in no case allowing it to break.

Before you take any steps to eliminate mercury, find out exactly what it looks like and why it is dangerous.

What mercury looks like from a broken thermometer photo and description

In the photographs presented you can see exactly what the mercury that flows from a broken thermometer looks like. Of course, once you have seen mercury in person at least once, you are unlikely to confuse it with anything else. As you can see, droplets of mercury have a metallic color, and generally resemble droplets of molten metal. From a distance, these droplets can be mistaken for beads. It is worth noting that, despite the fact that mercury is completely harmless (this is especially dangerous if children come across it), its fumes can cause a lot of trouble and seriously undermine health if measures to eliminate it are not taken in a timely manner.

What is its danger to humans?

Mercury– an extremely toxic chemical. By the way, mercury is mainly found in the body due to inhalation of its vapors, which have no odor. Even if the exposure time of mercury is minimal, it can result in serious health problems and poisoning. It has a toxic effect on the digestive system, as well as the nervous and immune systems. Dangerous for kidneys, lungs, eyes, skin. There are mild mercury poisoning (in the case of food poisoning), severe (due to emergency situations at enterprises or lack of safety precautions). Chronic poisoning also occurs. The latter type increases the risk of tuberculosis and other diseases. The consequences of poisoning can make themselves felt even after a long period (even after 2-3 years). Please note that acute poisoning can result in loss of vision, baldness, paralysis and even death. Mercury poses a serious threat to women during pregnancy, posing a risk to the development of the baby.

What to do if a thermometer with mercury in an apartment breaks

If a mercury thermometer breaks in your apartment, then, as already noted, you should eliminate the consequences of this trouble. However, it is important to remember that strict safety rules must be followed when collecting mercury.

It is best to collect mercury using a regular syringe. You can also use regular napkins soaked in vegetable oil or newspapers soaked in water - the drops will stick to the paper. The balls will also easily stick to adhesive materials such as tape. Among other options, you can consider another quite simple one: collect mercury on a sheet of paper with a soft brush. During the procedure, pay special attention to baseboards and crevices. If mercury is on the carpet, under no circumstances should you use a vacuum cleaner or broom! Roll the carpet from the edge to the center so that the balls do not scatter around the room. Wrap the rug in plastic wrap and take it outside. Before hanging it, lay down a film so that the soil is not contaminated with mercury. After this, lightly knock out the carpet. Such a carpet will have to be aired for at least three months, so if possible, it is better to throw it away.

Demercurization, disinfection and ventilation

The room can be cleared of mercury, both by employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and by one’s own efforts. So, before starting this process, which is called demercurization, it is worth starting to ventilate the room by opening all the windows. By the way, the room should be thoroughly ventilated for the next week. Doors to other rooms should be closed during the elimination of mercury so that vapors of the hazardous substance do not spread throughout the apartment. At the same time, a draft should not be allowed so that the balls do not scatter around the room and break into mercury dust, settling on the table, bed, walls, and so on. Before you start cleaning up particles on mercury, you should definitely put on rubber gloves on your hands. Also, don’t forget about shoe covers for your feet (can be replaced with plastic bags). During demercurization, the mouth and nose should be covered with a damp gauze bandage. By the way, even after all drops of mercury visible to the eye have been collected, some microparticles of the substance may still remain in the room. It is for this reason that it is also necessary to carry out disinfection. Wash the floors and walls with a solution of some detergent that contains chlorine. In addition, a solution of potassium permanganate is also suitable.

What to do with the remains of a broken thermometer

If you are convinced that you have completely cleared the room of mercury on your own, and for some reason you cannot call the Emergency Ministry team, then there is another way to get rid of the dangerous substance. Take a jar of mercury, a broken thermometer, the clothes that you were wearing at the time of demercurization (if there is a possibility that mercury got on it), and hand it all over to a special enterprise that disposes of waste containing mercury. If there is no such institution nearby, then the thermometer can be taken to the sanitary and epidemiological station or a state pharmacy, where you will be asked to fill out a special application.

After collecting the substance, place it in a glass jar with water at room temperature along with the remains of the thermometer. The container must be tightly closed with a lid. It is strictly not recommended to throw a jar of mercury into the sewer or water supply system, so as not to pollute the environment. If you did not call the Ministry of Emergency Situations immediately, you should do this after you have collected the toxic substance in a jar. When the team arrives, give them a jar with a thermometer and mercury, as well as all the materials used for demercurization. The responsibilities of the team of medical specialists include mandatory subsequent disinfection of the premises.

Who to call if your mercury thermometer is broken at home

As we have already mentioned, the best option in this unpleasant situation is to call the Ministry of Emergency Situations team. It is possible that you will do something wrong and will not be able to completely remove the remaining toxic substance from your home. In turn, specialists will do everything to ensure that there are no traces of mercury left in the room and that your health is not in danger. Please note that clothing and shoes that have been in contact with a hazardous substance cannot be washed in a washing machine - it is best to throw these things away. Also, under no circumstances should you remove mercury using a broom or vacuum cleaner, despite the fact that these options seem to be the most obvious.

How long does it take for mercury to dissipate?

Even after you eliminate all traces of mercury from your apartment, its fumes will still remain in the room for some time. In order to minimize their negative effects, after removing evaporating sources, it is strongly recommended to thoroughly ventilate the apartment. If you do not have the opportunity to ventilate the entire apartment, you must do this at least directly in the room in which the thermometer broke. If you want to remove vapors that have already accumulated in the air, the room must be ventilated for at least 5-7 hours. If possible, it is better to ventilate the room for at least several days! Over the next week, we recommend treating the surface where the substance was located with a solution of potassium permanganate several times a day. Also, certain measures should be taken by the person who collected the mercury, if this was not done by the Ministry of Emergency Situations team. To prevent poisoning, you should drink as much fluid as possible, because mercury formations exit through the kidneys. In addition, fresh fruits and vegetables will undoubtedly benefit. If you still feel unwell in the near future, in order to avoid deterioration of your health, you should immediately consult a doctor.

First aid if a child has inhaled mercury vapor

If a thermometer breaks in the house and the child manages to inhale mercury vapor, first aid measures must be taken as soon as possible. First, carefully examine the child’s hands and hair, and if a toxic substance is found on them, dispose of it immediately. If a child has swallowed mercury balls, immediately call an ambulance, and while it is heading towards you, you need to induce a gag reflex in the child. The situation is more complicated if the baby managed to swallow fragments - nothing should be done until the doctors arrive. Just put your child on the bed and minimize all his actions. If mercury gets on his clothes, he should change his clothes immediately. The situation is less critical if the mercury has not had time to get on the child’s skin, hair and clothes - then you just need to take him out of the room. Once outdoors, give him activated charcoal. Carefully inspect the room to find all the fragments of the thermometer and drops of toxic metal - you can remove them yourself or call the Ministry of Emergency Situations team for this procedure. After eliminating the “accident,” drink as much fluid as possible with your child over the next few days. Even if it seems to you that the baby feels quite normal and the mercury vapor has not affected his well-being, you should still consult a doctor for confirmation!

What not to do if the thermometer breaks

In conclusion, let us summarize what should not be done under any circumstances if a thermometer breaks in the house. 1) First of all, remember that you cannot collect poisonous balls with a vacuum cleaner - it will heat the metal, and this will only speed up the evaporation process. Particles of the substance will settle on the parts of the device, and it will become a hotbed for the spread of toxic vapors - as a result, you will definitely need to get rid of it.2) Do not sweep the mercury with a broom, because the drops will separate into even smaller ones, and they will be much more difficult to find.3) It is forbidden to collect mercury balls with a rag - because of this, the area affected by the substance will increase.4) Having collected toxic droplets, do not throw them into the garbage disposal - it will be impossible to get rid of them, and in the end it will not only be you who will suffer.5) Do not create a draft in the room until mercury will not be completely eliminated, otherwise the balls will separate into microscopic particles and end up on walls or furniture.6) If you have even the slightest suspicion that a toxic substance is on your things, it is forbidden to wash them in a washing machine - mercury may remain on its parts . We recommend simply throwing away these clothes - it’s probably easier than later getting rid of the washing machine.