

High School locked down after student brings mercury-filled thermometer to class - mhb
http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/article/285396/8/School-locked-down-over-thermometer

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tankenmate
School closed down and HAZMAT sent in for a thermometer? Obviously the
teachers don't realise that almost all fluorescent tubes have mercury in them;
did they call in HAZMAT when one of those is broken? Have schools become so
risk averse as to become stupid? What do the students learn from this? At this
level of stupidity it's a wonder that they don't call the CDC when a student
turns up with the cold.

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jgeorge
I'm willing to bet that the thermometer wasn't mercury anyway. You haven't
been able to buy a mercury thermometer for home use in 10 years or more. Most
moderm thermometers with what looks like mercury in them usually contain
Galinstan, which is non-toxic.

