On Sunday September 17, 2017 police were called to respond to a trespasser playing with mercury on the floor of a laundromat in Grants Pass, OR. Laundromat employees reported seeing multiple small vials that appeared to be empty and mercury on the floor; the mercury was believed to have been brought to the facility by the trespasser.
Police arrested the trespasser and transported him to the hospital for assessment then to jail. The local fire department removed visible mercury but did not have mercury assessment equipment. On Monday September 18, 2017 Oregon DEQ requested EPA assistance to assess the extent of mercury contamination. An OSC and START contractors were mobilized to determine the extent of contamination and assess potential human health risks and clean up needs; they arrived on the scene the morning of Tuesday September 19, 2017.
