The element mercury is a pollutant on the U.S. EPA’s “Priority Chemicals” list, a catalog of organic chemicals, metals, and compounds found in U.S. products and wastes which pose the greatest risks to the environment and the public. DEQ's Office of Pollution Prevention has worked to promote and coordinate statewide pollution prevention efforts to reduce or eliminate the use of mercury and mercury-containing products and to collect unused elemental mercury for proper management and recycling. Virginia’s mercury reduction activities draw heavily upon the strengths of successful mercury-related programs in other states and cities. In furthering this initiative, DEQ has utilized existing partnerships with industry mentors, state and local government, and the dental industry and created partnerships with federal government agencies, the hospital and pharmaceutical industry, and local school systems.
Mercury exists in various forms, and people are exposed to each in different ways. The most common way people in the U.S. are exposed to mercury is by eating fish containing methylmercury. Other exposures may result from using or breaking products containing mercury. When elemental mercury is spilled or a device containing mercury breaks, the exposed mercury can evaporate and become an odorless toxic vapor. Sources of potential exposure to elemental mercury include thermometers, barometers, switches, and thermostats. Mercury exposure at high levels can harm the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, and immune system.
For information on cleaning up mercury spills, visit EPA's website at www.epa.gov/mercury/spills.