The site is
located on Hatch Street in New Britain, Connecticut (the site). An estimated 8 fluid
ounces of elemental mercury was released from a container within a private home.
Elemental or metallic mercury is a shiny, silver-white metal, historically
referred to as quicksilver, and is liquid at room temperature.
On August 8, the
CT Department of Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) was alerted to a possible
mercury release by an area hospital after two children were admitted with
symptoms similar to that of mercury poisoning. CT DEEP determined that mercury was
released in a private home. The owners of the property were relocated with
assistance from the local town to a hotel. On August 19, CT DEEP requested
assistance from the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide long
term housing for the owners, cleanup the spilled mercury, and trace and cleanup
areas off-site where the mercury may have spread.
