The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) responded to a release of a small quantity of elemental mercury at a residence in Olathe, Kansas. The release reportedly occurred on November 9, 2003, when a thermometer was broken in the carpeted family room of the residence. One of the residents recovered a majority of the spilled mercury using a pipette, and a section of carpeting was subsequently cut out and disposed by the homeowner as household waste. Following these initial cleanup activities performed by the resident, limited cleanup and monitoring activities were conducted by the EPA and the EPA Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team (START). Real-time air monitoring indicated residual mercury vapors had dissipated to levels that would not result in any chronic health effects for the residents.
