On May 5, 2017, the Region 10 EPA Phone Duty Officer (PDO) was notified by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) of a mercury spill at a residence in Corvallis, Oregon. A small jar of mercury left at the residence by a previous owner (now passed away) was broken on a backyard porch and spilled several pounds of mercury onto a porch, some soil, and household items while the residents were moving boxes and preparing for a weekend garage sale. After the spill, a 10-year old child, a young pregnant woman, and two puppies were exposed to the mercury. The father of the 10-year old, and two cats were also potentially exposed to the mercury. The residents were advised by the R10 PDO on immediate actions, and the family took quick action to remove contaminated clothing, shower and clean off mercury, isolate the animals, and leave the home. The PDO also notified one of the Oregon-based Federal On-Scene Coordinators of the incident. The American Red Cross worked with the family to place them in a hotel for a few nights.
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