EPA will soon begin testing to confirm that mercury and
mercury vapors have been removed from the house.
June 2 through 4
After recovering the remaining elementary mercury that was
found, the house was heated and vented. Heating releases mercury vapors that
may have absorbed into surfaces, while venting removes those vapors from the
house. This successfully lowered the mercury vapor levels inside. Crews
screened the items in the backyard that were removed from the basement and safely
disposed of any with high mercury vapor levels. The basement was fine cleaned
and vacuumed.
June 1
Crews recovered more mercury and monitored the indoor air
for mercury vapor concentrations inside the house.
May 31
After screening the basement wall, crews found elevated
mercury vapor concentrations, showing more mercury may be present. Crews
continued to remove items from the basement and found and secured several
closed containers with mercury.
May 30
Crews continued to remove items from the basement and found
elevated mercury vapor concentrations along the base of the floor and a
basement wall. Mercury beads were found and recovered underneath a baseboard in
the spill area.
May 29
Crews bagged items in the spill area that may have been
contaminated with mercury and moved these items to the backyard. More mercury
was found and recovered from the basement floor. EPA coordinated with the
Northville City Fire Department and the Wayne County Department of Health,
Human & Veteran Services.
May 28
EPA arrived on site to check the house with a mercury vapor
analyzer (MVA). In the basement, EPA observed mercury vapor concentrations and found
mercury beads on a box at the spill location near the bottom of the stairs. The
basement and the first floor of the house were ventilated to lower the vapor
concentrations. A mercury vacuum was also used to recover some of the mercury
beads from the boxes.
Background
On May 27, 2026, EPA received a report from the Northville
City Fire Department regarding a mercury release at a residential house in
Northville, Michigan. According to the report, an initial estimate of 4 to 6
ounces was released on the morning of May 27 when a clock pendulum containing
elemental mercury was dropped on the basement floor. The home is currently
unoccupied. The local Western Wayne County HAZMAT team arrived on site and
reported that the released amount of mercury could be more than initially
estimated.
For more information on mercury check out the ToxFAQs: https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/tfacts46.pdf
