and www.water_sanitation_health A variety of studies demonstrate that mercury containing health-care equipment will invariably break. Small spills of elemental mercury on a smooth, non-porous surface can be safely and easily cleaned up with proper techniques. However, beads of mercury can settle into cracks or cling to porous materials like carpet, fabric, or wood, making the mercury extremely difficult to remove. Spilled mercury can also be tracked on footwear. Inadequate cleaning and disposal may expose already compromised patients and health-care staff to potentially dangerous exposures.