MA DEP Household Hazardous Products - Home Medical Mercury Devices and Liquid Mercury Answers to Commonly Asked Questions About Household Hazardous Waste Home Medical Mercury Devices and Liquid Mercury Hazards Thermostats and switches contain several grams of mercury in fragile glass bulbs or ampoules. Mercury is toxic to the human nervous system, as well as fish and animals.
Mercury can enter the body either through skin absorption or through inhalation of mercury vapors.
At room temperature, small beads of mercury will vaporize. Pick up mercury with an eyedropper or scoop up with paper, being careful to not touch with skin or clothing. Do not vacuum because it breaks up and heats droplets, facilitating vaporization. Once a vacuum cleaner has been used for a mercury spill, it will continue to release mercury into the air and is therefore safest to discard the contaminated machine rather than continue to use it. Do not wash mercury into drains.