Dedicated Mercury Spillage Cleaning

Our experts have years of experience in the mercury spillage cleaning field.

Our friendly technicians can help make your workplace a safe area again. Safety is our number one priority with all our customers, and we work hard to ensure you can get back to living and working life as soon as possible. We maintain open communication throughout the cleaning process, and inform you of the steps necessary for decontamination.

Before our cleaners begin, an air purity test will determine the levels of mercury present. The size of the spill is considered in how our technicians move forward to contain, clean, and decontaminate the area. We test the air one final time before leaving to ensure it is completely safe.

Why do we still use mercury?

Mercury is an incredibly conductive element and an indestructible one. Because of this, we can recycle mercury consistently for electrical items to keep costs low. Mining operations continue in countries like China and Kyrgyzstan, but this is slowly declining to prevent mercury pollution.

The element is vital to many electrical items, such as switches, lightbulbs, batteries, and relays. Cleaner alternatives are still emerging, and the Minamata Convention on Mercury is working hard to make this happen.

How do we encounter mercury?

Most exposures we face are mild or low mercury levels, usually posing no risk to us. However, low levels can still become deadly if the exposure is long-term and consistent. In the event of a spill, no matter how small, you should keep your distance and evacuate immediately. Trying to contain or clean it might expose you to toxic mercury vapours that could cause damage to your lungs.

When we encounter mercury, we do so through the consumption of large predatory fish, shellfish, contaminated vegetables, and some poultry. Fish are the biggest carriers of mercury on the food chain because mercury occurs naturally in the ocean. Fish absorb mercury through their gills or eat smaller fish with traces of mercury. There are high levels of mercury present in:

• Shark
• Swordfish
• Ling
• Ray
•  Barramundi
• Orange roughy
• Gemfish
• Southern bluefin tuna

You must eat these in small quantities to limit your exposure to methylmercury. Other fish that we more commonly consume like shellfish, tuna, and salmon contain lower levels of mercury.

We cover all areas in the Sevenoaks District in Kent, including:

• Ash
• Brasted
• Chipstead
• Crockenhill
• Edenbridge
• Fawkham
• Four Elms
• Hever
• Horton Kirby
• New Ash Green
• Otford
• Penhurst
• Sevenoaks
• Swanley
• Underriver

When does mercury exposure become deadly?

The consequences of mercury exposure may vary depending on many factors, such as the mercury form and the individual who encountered it. Mercury affects people differently, but the consequences are almost always the same. Symptoms and poisoning can differ depending on:

• The type of mercury
• The level of exposure
• The age of the individual
• If the mercury was inhaled, ingested, or touched
• The duration of the exposure

More vulnerable individuals, such as pregnant people, young children, unborn babies, and the elderly are more susceptible to the effects of mercury. Healthy people working in industries where mercury is present are also at a higher risk of experiencing poisoning and toxicity. There are universal symptoms that link the other forms of mercury, but these are not always the same every time. Anyone could suffer from:

• Headaches
• Skin and eye irritation
• Tremors
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Breathing difficulties
• Confusion
• Muscle weakness
• Insomnia
• Organ damage