DepEd investigates Manila Science High School mercury spill

Jee Y. Geronimo

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DepEd investigates Manila Science High School mercury spill
Advocacy group BAN Toxics calls on the education department to 'immediately implement a ban on the use and storage of mercury in schools'

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Education (DepEd) is looking into the mercury spill that happened recently at the Manila Science High School (MSHS).

In a statement sent to reporters on Saturday morning, March 25, DepEd said the East Avenue Medical Center (EAMC) and the Manila City Health Office will jointly conduct screening and tests for MSHS students and teachers.

According to nurses from the Manila schools division office, the two teachers and two students who were exposed to mercury have not shown any sign of dizziness or difficulty in breathing. A teacher was also admitted to the Philippine General Hospital but not confined.

The Manila schools division office is awaiting reports from Globecare – an industrial waste disposal specialist which completed cleanup in MSHS – the Department of Health (DOH), and the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office.

Classes remained suspended until Friday, March 24.

An initial report from the DOH said the mercury spill happened on March 11, but according to the initial account of MSHS principal Eva Nacion to Manila Schools Division Superintendent Wilfredo Cabral, 60 ml of mercury from a Charles’ Law apparatus spilled on a laboratory room’s corridor last March 18.

The school’s Science teachers “on their own capacity” immediately cleaned the spill, according to Nacion.

The teachers reported the incident to Nacion on March 19, after conducting a thorough inspection to make sure no traces of mercury were left on the corridor. Upon learning of the incident, Nacion asked about the teachers’ condition and how they disposed of the mercury.

The area was isolated on March 20, after which Nacion informed the DepEd Manila Health Services and the Manila City Health Office.

Ban mercury in schools

DepEd said it has strict guidelines on the safe handling, storage, and disposal of chemicals in schools, as well as the immediate reporting of accidents to proper authorities “whether or not these result in an injury.”

Students must be informed of the hazards in a laboratory, and trained on how to handle and use laboratory equipment and chemicals.

The department reminded school heads to implement strict security and safety measures in the use of laboratories, and to assign a full-time laboratory technician or a Science teacher who will take charge of a Science laboratory.

Advocacy group BAN Toxics on Friday said the mercury spill was “entirely preventable” if only DepEd took steps to ban mercury in schools.

“As an urgent step to prevent further accidents from happening, the Department of Education should immediately implement a ban on the use and storage of mercury in schools,” the group said in a statement. 

BAN Toxics also warned against the use of mercury, a “highly toxic chemical which has no place in schools.” – Rappler.com

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Jee Y. Geronimo

Jee is part of Rappler's Central Desk, handling most of the world, science, and environment stories on the site. She enjoys listening to podcasts and K-pop, watching Asian dramas, and running long distances. She hopes to visit Israel someday to retrace the steps of her Savior.