ACR MLG DEPARTED WITHOUT PROPER CLEANUP OF A HAZARDOUS CARGO SPILL.

Narrative

AFTER LNDG AT MIDLAND A BAGGAGE HANDLER RPTED THAT A SUBSTANCE THAT LOOKED LIKE MERCURY WAS SPILLED IN THE FORWARD CARGO BIN. I LOOKED AT THE SUBSTANCE AND AGREED THAT IT APPEARED TO BE MERCURY AND I AND THE BAGGAGE HANDLER DISCUSSED WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS MERCURY AND WHERE IT MIGHT HAVE COME FROM. OPS PERSONNEL AT MIDLAND WERE AWARE OF THE SPILL; BUT NOBODY SEEMED TO KNOW FOR SURE IF IT WAS MERCURY OR NOT. THE BAGGAGE HANDLER RPTED BEFORE TKOF THAT; WHATEVER IT WAS; HE CLEANED IT UP AS WELL AS POSSIBLE. UPON ARR AT IAH WE RPTED THE SPILL TO COMPANY MAINT AND ENTERED IT IN THE LOGBOOK. MAINT IDENTIFIED THE SPILL AS MERCURY AND WERE QUITE EXCITED ABOUT IT IMMEDIATELY. THEY STATED THAT THE ACFT WOULD BE GNDED FOR ABOUT 1 WK WHILE THE MERCURY WAS THOROUGHLY CLEANED UP. THEY WERE ALSO MUCH CONCERNED THAT THE ACFT HAD FLOWN FROM MIDLAND TO IAH AFTER THE SPILL WAS DISCOVERED. CONSIDERATIONS: THE SPILL WAS DISCOVERED AT MIDLAND; BUT NOT IDENTIFIED SINCE NO ONE WAS THAT FAMILIAR WITH MERCURY. ALSO; WE WERE NOT AWARE THAT MERCURY REQUIRED EXTENSIVE CLEANUP. SUGGESTIONS: EDUCATE CREWS AND BAGGAGE HANDLERS AS TO THE PROPERTIES OF MERCURY; IE; IDENTIFICATION AND TOXIC CORROSIVE PROPERTIES AND REQUIREMENT FOR IMMEDIATE AND EXTENSIVE CLEANUP.