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Update: Engineering Buildings Re-Opened After Mercury Spill
Posted 7.21.07: 10:27 a.m. Following early-morning decontamination and clean-up efforts, the Maryland Department of the Environment, in cooperation with the University Office of Environmental Safety, today reopened the two Engineering Buildings that had been in the area of a minor mercury spill on Friday, July 20. One engineering laboratory, Room 0109, in Building 088, will remain locked and isolated until remaining clean-up efforts have concluded.
Mercury Spill in the Engineering Classrooms and Labs
Posted 7.21.07: 1:18 a.m. On Friday, July 20, 2007, at approximately 3:00 p.m., University
Police received a call indicating the possibility of a Mercury spill in two
of its Engineering buildings. University Police Officers responded to Room 0109A
in the Engineering labs and discovered that a student had received a package
leaking mercury.
Officers contacted the university's Office
of Environmental Safety and Prince George’s County Fire Department. It
was determined that a small amount of mercury in a package delivered to Room
2118 at approximately 10:30 a.m. contained mercury and was leaking.
The building was immediately isolated and those faculty, staff and students who were present in the building were checked for exposure to the mercury. The building was searched for evidence of the mercury. Small amounts of mercury were found in the hallways of the Engineering labs and the Engineering classrooms. The buildings are being cleaned and will remain closed until the clean-up is complete.
The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), which conducted thorough building inspections, and other officials familiar with the potential health risk associated with mercury are concerned that anyone who was walking in the hallways of the Engineering lab (Building 089) or the Martin building (Building 088) may have stepped on some of the mercury and carried it onto their shoes.
According to MDE, the possibility of detrimental health risk is virtually nonexistent. As a precaution, however, university officials are asking anyone who walked in the hallways of either of these buildings between 10:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on Friday, July 20, take the following precaution regarding to their shoes.
-
Immediately place the shoes in a plastic bag and tightly seal the bag. Place the bag outside.
- Bring the shoes to the University of Maryland, Ritchie Coliseum, on Saturday, July 21, 2007, 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. or Monday, July 23, during the same hours. Officials will test the shoes for contamination.
If you have any questions, you may contact University Police at