The mercury emergency in Hamilton, September 1993

In September 1993, a public health emergency occurred in Hamilton, Ontario after a break-in at an abandoned scrap-metal recycling plant. A few school children entered the plant laboratory, played with lab equipment and chemicals, then removed and distributed mercury within the community. This paper describes the emergency intervention which halted distribution and exposure. The intervention was effective as a result of the high degree of cooperation among public health department staff and staff from other city, regional, and provincial governments and agencies, school personnel, children, and their parents. The event illustrates a number of public health issues regarding both emergency response to and environmental protection from hazardous materials.