Mercury Remediation

[Joseph Hagarty, CMI]

Home inspected this morning was previously remediated for Mercury contamination.

Homeowner had dropped an oral thermometer on the floor that broke into small pieces. Homeowner utilized the Central Vacuum to remove the pieces of glass from the floor.

Central Vacuum needed to be replaced along with all of the related interior piping due to the potential of mercury contamination.

Cost of remediation was in excess of $10,000.

Has anyone else ever heard of something like this.

[Brian E. Kelly]

Mercury, is that the silver liquid we would catch on Nickels as kids?

No Joe I have never heard of a $10,000 Mercury remidiation, but it would not surprise me either.

[Brian E. Kelly]

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/hac/pha/rosemore/rms_p1.html

[Michael Larson]

There was this story recently about mercury clean up cost from compact fluorescent bulbs. STORY

[Michael Larson]

EPA recommendations

for CFLs and mercury thermometers

[Brian E. Kelly]

http://www.dph.state.ct.us/EOHA/Docu...%20effects.pdf


My guess Joe is the vacuum cleaner technique was not a good solution and probably spread the Mercury more.

[Brian E. Kelly]

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&ct=re...cUPBNnlxRPzIng

[phinsperger]

Who initiated the need for remediation? Was there another party that discovered and required the remediation?

[rwand1]

As a child I remember playing with Mercury, holding in the palm of my hand. Should I be worried?

[tdietrich1]

In the 'chicken little' era (today), anything any time I hear someone say "potentially" contaminated, the ambulance chasers come out(the remediators).

Warning, heading off topic! I had a friend that was doing muffler work on his car. A bracket came off and punctured the gas tank. He got rags and dammed it up, and soaked it up. The local firefighters down the block smelt gas, were bored and rolled out an engine. After they were done, he was $10,000 in the hole (this was in 92). They said the tank held 10+ gallons, they smelt gas, they see the rags, the tank is leaking, and there was soil by it. The whole yard was 'potentially contaminated' now. They said pay a remediator, or pay a fine plus a remediator. He paid to have the yard cleaned up, and since he couldn't PROVE nothing ended up in the grass, he paid dearly.

Ok back to the OP, to add insult to injury, the central vac probly exhausted to the outside.

tom

[Joseph Hagarty, CMI]

Originally Posted by phinsperger

Who initiated the need for remediation? Was there another party that discovered and required the remediation?

Per disclosure, the remediation was initiated by the Homeowner. Owner questioned, after vacuuming, whether vacuuming was a proper method for cleaning.

Recommended cleanup levels range between 0.0003 mg/m3 and 0.001 mg/m3.

Test results were reported as BDL (Below Detection Limit). Homeowner opted to follow thru with a full remediation to be safe.

[tdietrich1]

Joe you always have the interesting stories.

tom

[Brian E. Kelly]

$10,000 to remediate something Below Detection Limits, good work if you can get it.

[klott]

Sounds like home owner is tooting his own horn or is dumb as a plant and has more dollars than sense. Who wants to be a Super Hero?

[Caoimhín P. Connell]

Hi Joe:

I’ve done tons of mercury remediation and exposure assessments (in fact just completed one in a doctor’s office about two months ago).

What specific questions do you have?

Caoimhín P. Connell
Forensic Industrial Hygienist
www.forensic-applications.com

(The opinions expressed here are exclusively my personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect my professional opinion, opinion of my employer, agency, peers, or professional affiliates. The above post is for information only and does not reflect professional advice and is not intended to supercede the professional advice of others.)

AMDG