Mercury exposure in a residential community--Florida, 1994

Abstract

Residential exposure to elemental mercury typically involves small amounts (e.g., the approximately 0.3 mL in a thermometer). During August 1994, five children residing in a neighborhood in Palm Beach County, Florida, found 5 pints of elemental mercury in an abandoned van. During the ensuing 25 days, the children shared and played with the mercury outdoors, inside homes, and at local schools. On August 25, 1994, a parent notified local police and fire authorities that her children had brought mercury into the home. On the same day, 50 homes were immediately vacated and an assessment of environmental and health impacts was initiated by the State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Health and Rehabilitative Services of the Palm Beach County Public Health Unit, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This report summarizes the investigation of this incident.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)