ATP* wrote:

Some idiot science teacher in a local middle school sprinkled a small amount
of mercury on a lab table to show the kids how the drops roll. That episode
cost the school district a few thousand dollars in monitoring and cleanup.
If a quart of mercury was dropped, there would be a financial disaster.

This is sad, and quite unnecessary. You pick up all the drops, and check
it isn't spilt under the bench, and you'll be fine. Anything remaining
which is too small to see is insufficient to cause harm. The biggest
danger is if you get a hidden spill, which doesn't get cleaned up.

Best wishes,

Chris