Useful information

Temporary collection order, accounting procedures and control of used mercury containing lamps in the Republic of Chuvashia

The present document was formulated using the following documents: RSFSR law "On protection oft he environment", 1992. Construction standards and regulations 1.01.28-85 "Ranges for Deactivation and disposal of toxic industrial waste". Sanitary regulations № 3183-84, 1984. GOST 25834-83 "Electrical lamps, marking, package, transportation and storage"; GOST 21575-76" Corrugated fiberboard boxes for fluorescent lamps".

Elimination of mercury pollution as exemplified by medical mercury thermometer

Mercury belongs to the 1 class of hazard - thiol poison. Mercury vapors are especially hazardous.

1. Mercury weight in the thermometer is up to 5 grams

2. If a thermometer is broken in a room with 50 m3 airspace, mercury vapors concentration while mercury evaporation process (mercury begins to evaporate at any positive temperature. The higher the temperature, the more intensive the evaporation process gets) grows up to (5000 mg/50 m³) = 100 mg/m³, which is 30 thousand times larger than the MAC (maximum allowed concentration) level for an inhabited area. Fluorescent lamps breaking is also dangerous as in case of a fluorescent lamp the MAC level will be (100 mg/50 m³)= 2 mg/m³ – there will be a 6 times MAC level excess.

Mercury containing waste

Examples of mercury containing waste are listed below:

Mercury toxic effect

Mercury belongs to highly toxic elements (1 hazard class). In cases of high-concentrated mercury intake mercury is concentrated in internal organs such as kidney, heart, brain. Intoxication is primarily obtained through respiratory organs, it is explain by high volatility of mercury.

Physical and chemical properties of mercury

Mercury (Hg) – is a chemical element belonging to the 2^nd group of the Mendeleev periodic system with the index number 80 and atomic weight 200.59.

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