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Mercury-Free Alternatives for Schools
 Your
school may contain mercury and other hazardous materials that have been
used in the past or may still be used for teaching and other purposes.
Hazardous materials can be found in many areas, including science labs,
art rooms, maintenance areas, nurse’s offices and home economics rooms.
They may be dangerous because of their toxic, flammable or reactive properties.If
these materials are being handled, stored or disposed of improperly, they
can pose a risk to students, staff and the environment.
Mercury in particular is a persistent and toxic pollutant that accumulates
in the environment, in wildlife and in humans. Lowered intelligence, impaired
hearing and poor coordination are some of the effects in children with
elevated mercury levels. While the most significant route of exposure
to mercury is through the consumption of contaminated fish, breathing
vapor from spilled liquid mercury is also a significant route of exposure.
This could occur at schools. Accidental mercury spills and breakages
have proven expensive to clean up, in some cases, costing tens of thousands
of dollars.
The purpose of this fact sheet is to help schools identify and find alternatives
to mercury and other hazardous materials that may be present in your facilities.
It focuses primarily on mercury compounds and mercury-containing equipment
used in curriculum activity. Many adequate substitutes exist for devices
used in schools that contain mercury. When purchasing new equipment or
replacing any mercury containing devices, check to make sure that any
new items do not contain mercury. If no alternative is available, choose
the product containing the least amount of mercury for that particular
device.
If you would like more information about mercury and hazardous materials
management at schools, please contact Becky
Jayne, Illinois EPA’s Office
of Pollution Prevention, at (217) 524-9642.
 Autobody
Class, Industrial Arts Class, and Wood and Metal Shops
| Item |
Alternative |
| Mercury Gauges |
Electronic or aneroid gauges |
| Manometers, Carburetor Synchronizers, Other Pressure-Measuring
Devices |
Aneroid and electronic manometers and analog gauges
(also known as vacuum gauges) |
| Switches in Electrical Equipment, Relays, Boilers, Cooling
and Heating Equipment, Mercury-Containing Wall-Mounted Light Switches
Manufactured Before 1991 ("silent" switches) |
Mercury-free switches, temperature devices, and relays,
and gas equipment with electronic ignitions |
| Solvent based products |
Water-based or bio-based solvents |
| Lubricants |
Bio-based lubricants |
| Wood preservatives with pentachlorophenol |
Untreated wood and non-wood alternatives |
 Biology,
Chemistry, Physics and Science Rooms
| Item |
Alternative |
| Elemental Mercury |
|
| Mercury Barometer |
Aneroid and digital; new liquid one is being developed |
| Mercury CompoundsMercury (II) chloride
Mercury IodineMercury NitrateMercury OxideMercury (II) Sulfate |
Magnesium Chloride/Sulfuric Acid or Zinc Formalin Freeze
DryingPhenate methodAmmonia/Copper Sulfate, Neosporin, Mycin Copper
CatalystSilver Nitrate/Potassium/Chromium (III) Sulfate |
| Mercury Gas Law Apparatus |
A simple Charles’ Law Apparatus may suffice. |
| Mercury Hydrometer |
|
| Mercury Hygrometer |
Spirit-filled glass bulb, digital and aneroid |
| Mercury Lab Thermometer |
Alcohol and mineral spirits glass bulbs, and digital |
| Mercury Molecular Motion Device |
|
| Mercury Sling Psychrometer |
Mineral spirits glass bulb thermometers, some can fit
in old frames. |
| Hg Spectral Tube |
16 alternative gases are available |
| Mercury Vacuum Gauge |
Needle or Digital Gauge |
| Zenker’s Solution (Mercury Chloride) |
Zinc Formalin |
| Colormetric Chloride Analysis |
Ion-selective electrode method |
| Residual mercury may be present in drains traps and
catch basins |
Properly clean traps and basins. Recycle mercury. |
| Formaldehyde or Formalin |
Formaldehyde-free preservatives |
| Solvents |
Water-based or bio-based solvents |
 Heating,
Ventilation and Air Conditioning Laboratories/Classrooms
| Item |
Alternative |
| Mercury Thermostats |
Air-controlled, reed switch, vapor-filled diaphragm,
snap-switch and programmable electronic |
| Mercury U-Tubes |
Electronic and aneroid gauges |
| Mercury Switches |
Hard-contact switches, solid-state switches, electro-optical
switches, inductive sensors, capacitive sensors, photoelectric sensors,
and ultrasonic sensors |
| Mercury Thermostat Probes |
Electric flame sensors, electronic ignition |
| Float Switches |
Magnetic dry reed switches, optic sensors, and mechanical
switches |
 Home
Economics Classrooms
| Item |
Alternative |
| Mercury Cooking Thermometer |
Spirit-filled glass bulb, and digital |
| Washing Machine (power shut off) |
Mechanical switch |
| Freezer Light |
Mechanical Switch |
| Flame Sensor on gas oven |
Electronic ignition |
| Steam Iron with 15 minute Shut-off (tilt switch contains
mercury) |
Iron with non-mercury switch |
 Art
Classrooms*
| Item |
Alternative |
| Cadmium Vermillion Red Paint |
Mercury-free and cadmium-free paint |
| Ceramic Glazes |
Lead and cadmium free glazes |
| Dyes (cold water and commercial) |
Vegetable dyes |
| Inhalation Hazards (e.g., clay in dry form, powdered
paints, glazes, pigments, wheat paste and aerosol products) |
Wet or liquid non-aerosol products |
| Instant Paper-mache |
Paper-mache made from black and white newspaper and
library or white paste or flour and water paste |
| Solvent-based glues |
Water-based glues |
| Solvent-based paints |
Water-based paints |
| Permanent markers |
Water-based markers |
| Polymer clay (designed to harden at conventional oven
temperatures) |
Paper-based, flour-based or wax-based clays |
| Low-temperature modeling clays (may contain glycol ethers
or primary phthalate ethers) |
Paper-based, flour-based or wax-based clays
|
| True Vermillion Paint (contains Mercury sulfide) |
Mercury-free paint |
| Wood stains |
Water-based wood stains |
| Moth repellants (for textiles) |
Cedar chips, eucalyptus oil |
| Pigments used in printing inks, oils paints, and other
media |
Cadmium-free, lead-free and mercury-free alternatives
are available |
| Solders for silver jewelry |
Cadmium-free solder for silver jewelry |
| Stained-glass solders |
Lead-free solder |
*Art or craft materials used in Illinois schools must meet the requirements
of 105 Illinois Compiled Statutes 135 and 77 Illinois Administrative Code
848.
 Medical
Technology Classrooms and School Medical Offices
| Item |
Alternative |
| Fever Thermometers |
Digital, gallium-indium-tin thermometers, dot matrix
thermometers |
| Blood Pressure Devices |
Digital or aneroid |
| Topical Disinfectants containing mercurochrome or tincture
of mertiolate* |
Alcohol or hydrogen peroxide |
| Contact Lens Solution containing thimerosol, phenylmercuric
acetate or phenylmercuric nitrate* |
Thimerosol-free, phenylmercuric acetate-free or phenylmercuric
nitrate-free contact lens solution |
| Nasal Sprays containing thimerosol, phenylmercuric acetate
or phenylmercuric nitrate* |
Thimerosol-free phenylmercuric acetate –free or phenylmercuric
nitrate-free nasal sprays |
*Note: The primary concern is the disposal and not the exposure to mercury.
No studies have confirmed any health risk associated with the identified
mercury applications.
 Non-educational
Mercury-Containing Items
| Item |
Alternative |
| Thermostats |
Air-controlled, reed switch, vapor-filled diaphragm,
snap-switch and programmable electronic |
| Fluorescent Lamps |
No alternative; properly recycle |
| Mercury Vapor Lamps |
No alternative; properly recycle |
| Metal Halide Lamps |
No alternative; properly recycle |
| High-Pressure Vapor Sodium Lamps |
No alternative; properly recycle |
| Mercury Gauges |
Electronic or aneroid gauges |
| Light Switches ("silent" switches) |
New light switches don’t contain mercury |
| Mercury Switches and Relays |
Switches and relays with electronic |
| Mercury thermostat probes and flame sensors |
Hard-contact switches, inductive sensors, capacitive
sensors, photoelectric sensors, and ultrasonic sensors |
| Old Latex Paint (purchased prior to 1992) |
Properly dispose |
| Fungicides (purchased prior to 1994) |
Properly dispose |
| Pesticides (purchased prior to 1994) |
Properly dispose |
Sources:
- "Mercury-Containing Products and Alternatives", INFORM Inc., 2002
- "Identification of Mercury Devices in School Medical, Home Economic,
Art and Other Rooms", Revised Draft Checklist, Northeast Waste Management
Officials Association, 2002
- "Guidelines for the Safe Use of Art and Craft Materials", California
Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, August 2002
- "Mercury in Science Laboratories and Classrooms", Massachusetts Department
of Environmental Protection and Northeast Waste Management Officials
Association
- "Mercury in School Buildings and Maintenance Areas", Massachusetts
Department of Environmental Protection and Northeast Waste Management
Officials Association
- "Mercury in the Medical Office and in Medical Technology Classrooms
in Vocational Technical Schools", Massachusetts Department of Environmental
Protection and Northeast Waste Management Officials Association
- "Mercury in the Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Laboratories
in Voc-Tech Schools", Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
and Northeast Waste Management Officials Association
- "Mercury Awareness for School Teachers", Ohio EPA, Office of Pollution
Prevention, June 2001
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