At approximately 13:45 on July 15, 2025 EPA phone duty officer received an email indicating approximately 75 lbs of mercury was found during a clean up of a schools chemistry lab in La Junta, Colorado. The county health department found an old canister that appeared to be pitted/corroded. ~ 18" tall/5”diameter. A metal tag shows 99.9% purity mercury, net weight 76lbs. The health department placed canister into a 5 gallon bucket and used bright green duct tape to seal bucket and placed a mercury haz waste material label on bucket. There are no kids are in school currently.
EPA mobilized it's Superfund Technical Assistance Team (START) and Emergency and Rapid Response Services (ERRS) Contractors to the Site on July 16th. START assessed the room for mercury spillage and other sources of mercury, finding none. ERRS repackaged the mercury container into a DOT-shippable container and transported it for disposal.
The mercury is currently at a hazardous waste broker facility in Denver awaiting final shipment.
