Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, all collection of mercury thermometers, etc. in school science rooms

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced on the 24th that it will collect all ‘mercury-containing waste measuring devices’ stored in science rooms at schools at each level to create a safe learning environment.

Accordingly, for six weeks from the 25th, a total of 10,872 mercury-containing waste measuring devices stored in 574 locations, including 572 elementary, middle, and high schools in Seoul and two institutions directly under the Office of Education, will be collected and disposed of. The subject is thermometers, barometers, blood pressure gauges, and thermometers that are no longer used and kept in school science labs.

Mercury is the only metal that exists in a liquid state at room temperature and is highly toxic, so educational institutions have banned the use of related materials.

However, due to the difficulty in disposing of the equipment, the school mainly kept the equipment sealed, and there were occasional accidents in which the equipment was broken and leaked mercury.

For disposal, a consignment company designated by the Ministry of Environment visits schools in May and June to collect and transport waste measuring devices.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education investigated the storage status in September last year and collected waste measuring devices containing mercury from schools in the Seongbuk-Gangbuk Office of Education. This year, the remaining 10 education support offices will process all unprocessed quantities of schools and direct organizations.

Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon said, “We will strive to establish a safe and high-tech science lab environment so that students can safely and healthily engage in scientific inquiry activities.”