On Jan. 31, 2026, EPA Region 7 received a Request for Federal Action (RFA) from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MoDNR) for a residential mercury spill at a one-story single-family home. Initially, the Valley Park Fire District responded to a 911 call from the resident after they had spilled mercury in the basement, basement steps, and the living area. The fire department secured and containerized three vials.
Upon arrival after receiving the RFA, EPA's On-Scene Coordinator (OSC) observed visible beads of mercury inside and the State reported elevated levels of mercury vapors inside the home from their Lumex mercury vapor analyzer. The home exceeded the EPA recommended relocation
level of 10,000 nanograms per meter cubed (ng/m3), so the resident decided to relocate to a family member's
home. The EPA OSC took measures to avoid the spread of mercury from the home. After the resident changed into clean clothes,
the State screened the resident, the pets, and the vehicle before they left the
site; levels were below action levels. The resident was advised to bathe the
pets with an over-the-counter shampoo containing selenium sulfide to help immobilize potential residual mercury vapors. Additionally, the
outdoor trash bin was secured on-site as it was reading 18,900 ng/m3 with
multiple beads of mercury visible inside.
Between Feb. 2 and Feb. 12, a removal action was completed to bring mercury vapors consistently below action levels as documented by clearance sampling in the basement and the main level of the home. On Feb. 12, crews and equipment demobilized and the resident moved back into the home. Disposal of mercury contaminated items and elemental mercury took place by Mar. 5, 2026.
The cleanup is considered completed and no further actions are warranted.
