Mercury Spill Cleanup and Disposal Services
Contact Rader Environmental to quickly and efficiently address any mercury management challenge. Rader has specialized in mercury removal for nearly 20 years. Rader’s approach to mercury removal is the result of the company’s longstanding interest in the science of elemental mercury. Depending on conditions, the majority of mercury in spill situations can be cleaned up with a mercury recovery vacuum. The larger problem lies with the remaining microscopic and/or embedded mercury contamination. Cleaning up the remaining microscopic and/or embedded mercury is important because mercury vapor is being released if any elemental mercury is present after the visible (unmagnified) mercury spill cleanup is completed. Rader understands this and has developed effective methods that can be put to work for you to clean up both visible and microscopic mercury.
Rader’s Mercury Removal Methods are Highly Effective
Chemists at Rader recognized early that all commercially available Mercury Vapor Reduction compounds are basically suppressants (they suppress mercury vapor). However, the suppressing effects may not last long and Rader realized that the only permanent solution to the problem is complete removal of all microscopic mercury. With that in mind, through trial and error and in collaboration with other scientists, we developed a procedure to remove elemental mercury so that suppressants are not necessary. Key Clean and Rader Reducer are the chemicals that Rader developed to achieve this. They work by suspending the microscopic elemental mercury in a solution so that it can be collected using either a mercury vacuum or cloth rags or other media depending on the surface to be cleaned.
However, Key Clean and Rader Reducer, although integral to the process, will not by themselves permanently remove elemental mercury. Knowledge of the substrate and its conditions are also important. Rader has the knowledge to recognize and address these conditions allowing Rader’s solutions to work.
Mercury spills occur in many places and on many different surfaces. When elemental mercury droplets shatter they adhere to surfaces both horizontal and vertical, they also make their way into cracks & crevices and anything even slightly porous. Cleaning spilled mercury from rough or smooth concrete is different than cleaning it from floor tile or steel and these surfaces are different than cleaning it from hardwood floors etc… If the spill has occurred in an industrial setting and the surfaces to be cleaned are full of grease and grime it may be necessary to address these contaminants at the same time the mercury is addressed.
In addition to actually removing the elemental mercury the Rader products also do not harm most surfaces, unlike the commercially available chemicals which may react with different metals and can be corrosive. Rader’s chemicals are even safe for aluminum and have been used to decontaminate commercial aircraft successfully.
Many times a mercury spill will contaminate personal belongings that cannot be replaced, the Rader Team has many different techniques available to them to decontaminate and save your personal belongings, however certain porous items (such as shoes, carpeting etc…) are not readily cleaned. It is possible to launder some clothing items using the Rader chemicals so that they can be safely worn again. Sometimes it may be more prudent to replace items rather than decontaminate them. The Rader Team has the experience to know the difference thereby saving time and money by making the right decision with regard to decontamination in a cost effective manner.
Rader has also been involved in very large mercury spills/contamination episodes where the Rader advantage is a thorough working knowledge of laboratory analysis, waste characterization and CERCLA issues in addition to the Rader Proprietary Chemicals and Team Rader’s vast experience in mercury clean-ups. The Rader Mercury Removal Method has been proven effective on many mercury removal projects.
Rader’s Experienced Mercury Removal Team
When you employ Rader to address your mercury problem you are hiring a team of experts with experience on many mercury removal projects. A Rader chemist will visit the site with a Lumex 915 plus Mercury Vapor Analyzer and determine the best, least complicated way to decontaminate and remove elemental mercury from your facility.
During the actual mercury removal phase of a project all Rader workers wear respirators equipped with mercury vapor cartridges and standard “Level C Protection”. All workers have undergone both Hazardous Materials Worker Training and Mercury Awareness Training and all workers are participants in a medical evaluation program. Contact Rader today to put our experienced mercury removal team to work for you.