Frequently Asked Questions about Contaminated Museum Collections

Frequently Asked Questions about Contaminated Museum Collections
Source: Department of Interior

The U. S. Department of the Interior (DOI) provides the following notification to users and
recipients of museum collections under the control of the Department that may contain toxic
substances.

“This document serves as official notice to the recipient that the items being
repatriated, lent, or handled may have been treated with potentially toxic substances
for purposes such as conservation and preservation. Treatment may have occurred
either while the item was in the collections of the U.S. Department of the Interior or
prior to acquisition by the Department. Handling any of the items without proper
safeguards and precautions may cause the user to come into contact with these
substances. Upon request, the Department will make information available on safe
handling of treated items. The Department does not warrant that the use of these
procedures will eliminate all risks.”