A small fruit cup of mercury was enough to sicken four Libby residents, including two children, but it could have been much worse.

Family members who lived in the home are now residing at a local hotel, getting treated, and area residents have mounted an effort to gather clothing and other important items for them.

Moriah Roberts, a sister of one of those afflicted and a member of the Libby Troy Community Connection Facebook page, continues to lead an effort to help her family. She shared the following message on the page Wednesday morning:

“To the family that lost everything, even the house due to mercury. I will be adding more things as I find out what they need. I just wanted to get some things for Christmas presents. Nora, Zane, Maura and Jared. This community has been so amazing. They family thanks you for everything. If you don’t want to get gifts off the Amazon wishlist you can take donations to New To You. They could use food cards, or Rosauers gift cards. They are in a motel right now. Jared has lost all of his winter gear and he works up at Turner Mountain so could really use the warm gear. Blankets and pillows are going to be a big need. I know they will need every day life things, like dish soap, laundry soap, shampoo, conditioner, etc.”

She also shared a link to an Amazon wish list (https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/M8LNQGU8IQ4J?ref_=wl_share&fbclid=IwY2xjawOeqpdleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF6S2V1QmdjbkpGamt3MTBKc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHkErvPkqmrc33OfjXMQV5pQ6ZTtDUaYcLAS72Zv6wGhVcwhaMFUYZ7tHL6kN_aem_6VLYyMVY_0qOiD0zbl3s3g) that included items family members are in need of.

New to You, located at 1116 W. Second St. in Libby, is open from noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and noon to 3 p.m. Saturday. They are closed Sunday and Monday.

Roberts said Nora, Maura and Jared are on medication that will hopefully take the mercury out of their systems. None of them are hospitalized.

“Right now, I’m really hopeful the kids get their Christmas presents,” Roberts said. “They lost everything. Nora lost a stuffed animal she got on a trip. The family is really appreciative of any gifts and we just want to give the kids a Merry Christmas.”

Roberts said her two daughters had elevated levels of mercury and have to be re-checked to see if they need treatment.

At a Wednesday evening meeting in Libby City Hall’s Ponderosa Room, officials offered more information and a message hoped to prevent any more exposures from the toxic chemical in the county.

Two of the three homes that saw mercury contamination a little more than a month ago on Spencer Road included what federal officials are calling a “source” house and a “spill” house.

The incident occurred sometime in late October 2025 when the resident’s child’s friend brought a fruit cup filled with mercury to the home, according to EPA officials. The mercury was taken from the friend’s grandparent’s collection. The mercury was spilled onto a rug in the child’s room and played with before the friend returned home. At that point, the resident child rolled the mercury beads into the rug and placed the rug under the bed. 

Once the source was determined, the homeowner turned over six bottles of mercury, totaling 30 to 35 pounds. 

Eric Sandusky, the Federal On-Scene Coordinator for the EPA’s Response Section Superfund and Emergency Management Division, spoke at length Wednesday regarding the spill, its effects and what officials are doing.

“The amount that was turned in to us from the source house is a fairly significant amount,” Sandusky said to a crowd of about two dozen people.”In 2025, about one-third of the calls we’ve responded to were related to mercury.”

According to the agency, EPA Region 8, which includes Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming and 28 Tribal Nations, has responded to five mercury spills in 2025.

The “spill” house is in the process of being demolished. The work began Wednesday.

“The home had an extremely high level of contamination,” Sandusky said. “It was in the walls, the studs, the insulation. We determined buying a new home was the most cost effective way of dealing with the property.”

Sandusky said 11 property owners have called to get their homes checked for contamination and officials have done all but one, as of Wednesday evening. The home where the mercury came from has been cleared for reentry.

“For those who want screening, please call us and we’ll come,” Sandusky said.

Sandusky’s cell number is 720-768-3514.

According to the EPA, it has screened nine residential properties and four businesses/schools. Two residential properties and one school had minimal mercury contamination which was cleaned.

Michelle Zeager, a medical officer with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, also spoke at length.

“Breathing mercury vapors are the way most people get affected,” Zeager said. “The amount, duration, general health of the person and their age has a lot to do with how each person will be affected.”

She recommended that people who believe they’ve been exposed should leave the spill site and reach out to a health care provider.

Officials are hopeful that other area residents will check their homes and bring any mercury to the three county landfills in Libby, Troy and Eureka so it can be safely disposed of.

A fact sheet provided at the meeting included steps for the disposal of mercury.

After removing the material from inside the home, place absorbent material around the container of mercury before placing it inside a Ziplock bag or airtight container. Label it, “Mercury - DO NOT OPEN.”

After placing the container in a cardboard box for the trip to the landfill, place it in the back of a car or truck. If it needs to be inside the vehicle, it is recommended windows are opened for ventilation.

After arriving at the landfill, give it to the operator.

Mercury pickups are also available at any Lincoln County landfill, including the following:

- Libby Landfill, Monday - Saturday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

- Troy Landfill, Monday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

- Eureka Landfill,  Monday - Fri 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

EPA officials said before leave Lincoln County, they will collect any mercury dropped off at the land fills. It will then be taken to a mercury holding facility in Texas. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, Waste Control Specialists is located in Andrews.

“Hopefully an accidental spill can be prevented in the future,” said Beth Archer, the Community Involvement Coordinator for EPA’s Region 8.

According to a EPA fact sheet about elemental mercury, it was historically referred to as quicksilver. When dropped, elemental mercury breaks into smaller droplets which can go through small cracks or become strongly attached to certain materials. 

At room temperature, exposed elemental mercury can evaporate to become an invisible, odorless toxic vapor. If heated, it is a colorless, odorless gas.

According to the EPA, metallic mercury mainly causes health effects when inhaled as a vapor where it can be absorbed through the lungs. Symptoms of prolonged and/or acute exposures include:

- Tremors;

- Emotional changes (such as mood swings, irritability, nervousness, excessive shyness);

- Insomnia;

- Neuromuscular changes (such as weakness, muscle atrophy, twitching);

- Headaches;

- Disturbances in sensations;

- Changes in nerve responses; and/or;

- Poor performance on tests of mental function.

- Higher exposures may also cause kidney effects, respiratory failure and death.

More information is available from local doctors, the Lincoln County Health Department (406-283-2467), Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (406-417-9848), the Montana Poison Center (1-800-222-1222), the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry ([email protected]) and the EPA Region 8 Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (877-800-5554).