On September 21, 2025, the Shawnee Fire Department and Overland Park HazMat Team responded to a call from a Shawnee resident reporting a mercury spill at her residence. The resident broke a jar of mercury while moving boxes in her garage. On September 21, the Fire Department contacted the EPA Region 7 Spill Line for technical assistance and reported vapor levels of 17,000 nanograms per cubic meter (ng/m3), above the residential action levels. The resident voluntarily relocated to a friends house for the night. The EPA Region 7 contacted the Kansas Department of Health and Environment on September 22 who indicated they did not have the resources to respond and would submit a Request for Federal Action for the site.
On September 22, one EPA On-Scene Coordinator (OSC), an EPA emergency responder, and 2 EPA contractors deployed to the residence.
EPA's OSC conducted an initial assessment and then verbally activated the contractor to deploy and conduct the mercury cleanup.
