Online first: Pittsburg homes undergo screening after Tuesday mercury spill

United States Environmental Protection Agency Region 7 emergency response teams and Crawford County Health Department staff are expecting to complete the screenings of at least a dozen more homes in Pittsburg on Wednesday for mercury exposure as a joint agency response to a spill of the toxic metal at a local skate park enters its second day, a written statement from the EPA said.

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EPA staff and contractors, along with local health department staff, have been working with the Pittsburg police and fire departments, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry in response to the spill, which was reported Monday at a skating area in Pittsburg's Schlanger Park.

On Tuesday, EPA teams and local health department staff completed the screenings of about 40 local homes of children who were known to have played at the park during or after the time of the spill, as well as screenings of local school buildings. No major health issues were detected during those screenings, which were conducted to see if mercury had been carried back to homes or schools on the children's clothing or belongings. At least 12 more residences in Pittsburg will be screened for mercury exposure on Wednesday, the EPA statement said.

Meanwhile, EPA, KDHE and local health department staff were continuing to provide screenings of residents' clothing, shoes and belongings. People who think they may have come into contact with mercury from the spill are urged first to call the Crawford County Health Department at (620) 231-5411 to assess their need for screenings.

Investigators believe the source of the spilled mercury is a container housed in a local building owned by the Kansas City Southern Railway. Police believe juveniles entered the building without permission and obtained an unknown quantity of mercury from a barrel at that site, and later poured the toxic liquid metal on the surface of the nearby skate park, the EPA statement said.

Local officials and EPA and KDHE staff will continue working Wednesday with staff from Kansas City Southern to develop cleanup plans for the railroad's building and for the skate park, the statement said.

Mercury can cause serious health effects, especially for young children, when its vapor is breathed, or when it comes into contact with skin. A shiny, silvery metal that is liquid at room temperature, mercury is often found in thermometers, barometers, thermostats, electrical switches, and science labs.

Look in Thursday's edition of The Fort Scott Tribune for additional information.