Inventory of instruments, medical devices, equipment and building facilities containing mercury in health facilities

The inventory of instruments, medical devices, equipment and building facilities containing mercury in health facilities was carried out on July 11, 2023 at the Riobamba Private Hospital, covering areas such as Hospitalization, Dentistry and Various Services. Devices containing mercury were identified, consisting of: 187 thermometers (oral, rectal and pediatric) with a total of 336.6 grams distributed in the hospital's rooms and warehouse, 1 laboratory thermometer with 4.4 grams in the clinical laboratory, 1 sphygmomanometer/tensiometer with 95 grams in the delivery room, and 1 gastrointestinal tube with 907 grams in the gastroenterology area. As for building equipment and facilities that contain mercury, they include: 2 in boiler indicator controls with 4,445.28 grams of mercury in the kitchen; 3 flow meters with a total of 15,000 grams distributed between the machine room and traumatology, 46 flame sensors with 138 grams, 30 pressure switches and 30 temperature switches with 345 and 165 grams of mercury, 22 inclined mercury switches with a total of 785.4 grams and 502 compact fluorescent lamps and 388 linear ones distributed in all hospital services. The waste inventory includes 187 thermometers with 1,870 grams of mercury, 1 blood pressure monitor with 95 grams, and a gastrointestinal tube with 907 grams. No esophageal dilators with mercury are reported. Dental amalgam waste contains 0.01 micrograms of mercury, with no current waste. There are 893 luminaires, lamps and fluorescent tubes with 455,430 grams of mercury. No waste from mercury switches is reported. 462 grams of liquid mercury is recorded in dentistry.