Public health consequences of mercury spills: Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance system, 1993-1998.

نویسندگان

  • Perri Zeitz
  • Maureen F Orr
  • Wendy E Kaye
چکیده

We analyzed data from states that participated in the Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance (HSEES) system maintained by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry to describe the public health consequences of mercury releases. From 1993 through 1998, HSEES captured 406 events in which mercury was the only substance released. Schools and universities, private residences, and health care facilities were the most frequent locations involved in mercury events, and human error was the contributing factor for most of the releases. Fourteen persons experienced adverse health effects as a result of the releases. An additional 31 persons had documented elevated levels of mercury in the blood. No fatalities resulted. Evacuations were ordered in 90 (22%) of the events, and the length of evacuation ranged from 1 hr to 46 days. Mercury spills have a significant public health impact and economic burden. Some actions that could potentially lessen the consequences of mercury spills are to switch to mercury-free alternatives, train people in the safe handling and disposal of mercury, and keep mercury securely stored when it is necessary to have it on hand.

برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

منابع مشابه

Lessons learned from hazardous chemical incidents--Louisiana Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance (HSEES) system.

Since 2001, the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (LDHH) has participated in the Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance (HSEES) system. In 2001, there were 815 events qualified for HSEES surveillance. Data for each event was gathered and analyzed. During these hazardous substances events, there were 1164 chemicals released resulting in injuries to 63 people, most with res...

متن کامل

New York hazardous substances emergency events surveillance: learning from hazardous substances releases to improve safety.

Since 1993, the New York State Department of Health, funded by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, has collected data about non-petroleum hazardous substances releases through the Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance (NYHSEES) project. This study investigates risk factors for hazardous substances releases that may result in public health consequences such as inju...

متن کامل

Surveillance for emergency events involving hazardous substances--United States, 1990-1992.

PROBLEM/CONDITION A review of existing reporting systems indicated that not enough information was being collected to determine the public health consequences of emergency events involving hazardous substances. REPORTING PERIOD COVERED January 1990 through December 1992. DESCRIPTION OF SYSTEM State health departments in selected states collect and each quarter transmit information about the...

متن کامل

Risk factors for acute chemical releases with public health consequences: Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance in the U.S., 1996–2001

BACKGROUND Releases of hazardous materials can cause substantial morbidity and mortality. To reduce and prevent the public health consequences (victims or evacuations) from uncontrolled or illegally released hazardous substances, a more comprehensive analysis is needed to determine risk factors for hazardous materials incidents. METHODS Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance (HSEE...

متن کامل

Public health risks of railroad hazardous substance emergency events.

The number of railroad events reported to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry's Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance system increased from 84 in 1993 to 177 in 1998. Comparisons of data on railroad and non-railroad events were made. The results overall indicated a greater potential impact of railroad events on public health. A median number of 2039 persons were li...

متن کامل

ذخیره در منابع من


  با ذخیره ی این منبع در منابع من، دسترسی به آن را برای استفاده های بعدی آسان تر کنید

برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

عنوان ژورنال:
  • Environmental Health Perspectives

دوره 110  شماره 

صفحات  -

تاریخ انتشار 2002