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A mercury vacuum is a vacuum cleaner specifically designed to collect mercury metal, for instance to clean up spills of the element. It is a requirement of the U.S. EPA that a mercury vacuum cleaner be used to clean up mercury spills (if an alternative method is used, a description of the method must be submitted to the EPA Administrator in a Notification of Compliance Status report). [1] Shop Vacs may or may not be suitable.[ citation needed ] A mercury vacuum cleaner should be designed to prevent generation of airborne mercury typically through the use of an activated carbon charcoal filter in addition to any particulate filters. The ends of hoses should be capped after each use; and after vacuuming, the area should be washed down. Users of mercury vacuum cleaners should be trained in the handling of hazardous materials.
