ACCIDENTAL MERCURY SPILLS
FROM GAS METER REMOVAL
In late July 2000, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) was
informed of accidental mercury spills that had occurred in a number of homes in
the Chicago area. Nicor Gas Company had hired subcontractors to move gas meters
from inside the homes to the outside for easier access. During the removals,
mercury was released from the regulators in the gas meters. The following are
some of the most frequently asked questions the Department has received from
the public.
What is mercury?
Mercury is a metal that occurs naturally in the environment in several
forms. In the metallic form, mercury is a shiny silver, odorless liquid. It is
commonly used in batteries, thermometers, barometers and electrical switches.
The mercury in the gas meters was used to regulate the pressure of natural gas
entering homes.
How might I be exposed to mercury?
If mercury was accidentally spilled in your home during the removal of a gas
meter, you may have been exposed to it. You can be exposed to mercury by
touching it or breathing mercury vapor in the air. Since mercury evaporates at
room temperature, it can enter your body when you breathe. This is the most
likely route of exposure and the most hazardous, since the mercury you breathe
in air enters your blood and rapidly goes to other parts of your body. Only a
small amount of mercury passes through the skin after touching it.
How can mercury affect my health?
Mercury affects the nervous system including the brain. Symptoms associated
with mercury exposures include personality changes (irritability, shyness,
nervousness), tremors, changes in vision or hearing, loss of appetite,
insomnia, and short-term memory loss. If you are exposed to high enough levels
over a long period of time, you may also have damage to your kidneys.
Is there a medical test to determine if I have been exposed to
mercury?
Yes. Mercury is easily measured in urine. Urine tests will show the amount
of mercury to which you have been exposed for about the last 30 days. Mercury
also can be tested in hair and blood.
What is Nicor Gas doing to determine if my home has elevated levels of
mercury?
Nicor Gas has contracted with professional companies to test the air in
affected homes for mercury. If mercury is found at elevated levels, a cleanup
of your home will be performed. If the levels are high enough, you may have to
move out of your home for a short time while the cleanup is being done. You
also may be asked to submit urine samples to determine how much mercury has
entered your body.
If I have elevated levels of mercury in my home, who is paying for the
tests and other expenses?
Nicor Gas has committed to pay for all expenses associated with medical and
environmental testing and cleanup of mercury in the affected homes. The company
also will pay for any personal items (clothes, carpeting, drapes, etc.) that
may have to be thrown away.
What is the Illinois Department of Public Health doing to protect my
health?
IDPH has provided advice to Nicor Gas about air sampling and urine sampling.
The Department is reviewing all sampling results and making recommendations to
homeowners. After a cleanup is completed, Nicor Gas will take additional air
samples to determine if mercury has dropped to a level that is no longer a
hazard. IDPH will review these follow-up air sampling results and notify
residents of its findings.
Who can I contact if I have questions about a cleanup?
Nicor Gas representatives are scheduling air sampling and cleanups. You may
contact the company at 888-288-8110.
Who do I contact if I want to be tested for mercury?
Your family doctor can write an order for you to have your urine tested for
mercury. Nicor Gas has agreed to pay for these expenses. You also may contact
the Cook County Hospital Center for Children’s Environmental Health at
312-633-5310 (ask for Ann Naughton or Jackie Wuellner) to have your urine
sampled.
If I have questions about mercury, may I contact the Illinois Department
of Public Health?
You may contact IDPH by calling 866-282-2840. Staff from the
Department’s Toxicology Section will answer your questions about mercury.
Where can I get additional information?
If you have access to a computer, information about mercury and about this
spill is available on several Web sites:
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