Details:

Alternative Title:
MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep
Personal Author:
Wozniak, Ryan J. ; Hirsch, Anne E. ; Bush, Christina R. ; Schmitz, Stuart ; Wenzel, Jeff
Wozniak, Ryan J. ; Hirsch, Anne E. ; Bush, Christina R. ; Schmitz, Stuart ; Wenzel, Jeff Less -
Description:
Despite measures to educate the public about the dangers of elemental mercury, spills continue to occur in homes, schools, health care facilities, and other settings, endangering the public's health and requiring costly cleanup. Mercury is most efficiently absorbed by the lungs, and exposure to high levels of mercury vapor after a release can cause cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, and visual disturbances (1). Children and fetuses are most susceptible to the Adverse Effects of mercury vapor exposure. Because their organ systems are still developing, children have increased respiratory rates, and they are closer to the ground where mercury vapors are most highly concentrated (2). To summarize key features of recent mercury spills and lessons learned, five state health departments involved in the cleanup (Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, and Wisconsin) compiled data from various sources on nonthermometer mercury spills from 2012 to 2015. The most common sites of contamination were residences, schools and school buses, health care facilities, and commercial and industrial facilities. Children aged <18 years were present in about one third of the spills, with approximately one in seven incidents resulting in symptoms consistent with acute mercury exposure. To protect the public's health after a mercury spill, it is important that local, state, and federal agencies communicate and coordinate effectively to ensure a quick response, and to minimize the spread of contamination. To reduce the number of mercury spills that occur in the United States, public health officials should increase awareness about exchange programs for mercury-containing items and educate school and health care workers about sources of mercury and how to dispose of them properly.
Subjects:
[+]
Chemical Hazard Release Full Report Humans Mercury Mercury Poisoning Public Health Practice
Source:
MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 66(10):274-277.
Pubmed ID:
28301447
Pubmed Central ID:
PMC5657866
Document Type:
Journal Article
Place as Subject:
United States
Collection(s):
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
Main Document Checksum:
[+]
urn:sha256:585defaccaeccd540f60a492819ef22da5b4e8825af271723b7acf154d31ff00
Download URL:
https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/55737/cdc_55737_DS1.pdf
File Type:

Supporting Files

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