The Heart of America Council will be charged the $5,000 cost of decontaminating Quail Run School after a toxic chemical spilled from a Cub Scout’s wooden racing car in the school, district officials said Monday.

“I’m going to send them the bill,” Supt. Randy Weseman said. “In instances like this, we pass it on to the responsible party.”

The council in Kansas City, Mo., has jurisdiction over Cub and Boy Scouts in Douglas County. Cub Scouts had rented the school for a race involving about 70 children.

Liquid mercury was placed inside the car in violation of race rules. It spilled from the 5-ounce vehicle after a practice-run wreck Friday night, requiring intervention by Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical, HazMat Response Inc. of Olathe and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Cindy Yulich, a Lawrence school board member, said she assumed the council had liability insurance. She doesn’t anticipate any problem collecting.

“We want to preserve the relationship with the Scouts,” she said.

Yulich said it would be up to the council to seek reimbursement from the family member or members responsible for placing the vial of liquid mercury inside the car in an attempt to give it an edge on the downhill course.

Dan Herriage, administrator of Veritas Christian School, is said to be the father of the boy who entered the tainted car. A woman who answered the telephone at his house Monday said Herriage wasn’t available to discuss the incident.

Parents of other Scouts at the race emphasized they were blaming the father of the Scout, not his son.

Herriage has taken postgraduate courses in chemistry and is active in Heart of America Scouts.

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Mercury is classified as a hazardous material, but it is not illegal to possess the element, according to KDHE.

KDHE conducted a final test of the environment at Quail Run on Sunday and allowed the school, 1130 Inverness Drive, to open Monday as scheduled. No further action is planned by the state environmental agency.

“As far as KDHE, there is no liability because we deal with the cleaning aspect of it,” said Sharon Watson, KDHE spokeswoman.

However, one Lawrence school board member said she would assume any student bringing hazardous chemicals to school would face disciplinary action.

“Yes,” said Sue Morgan. “I would say that’s a problem.”

Mercury can still be found in old thermometers or thermostat switches. It used to be found in some plumbers’ tools. More than 20 years ago it could even be found in dentists’ offices because it was used in tooth fillings.

“It is in some thermometers, although not as many as it used to be,” Watson said. “It certainly isn’t something you could get if you weren’t looking.”

Mercury poses an extreme health hazard, especially to developing fetuses, young children and frail elderly people. Mercury vapors harm the brain, while inorganic mercury salts in water supplies or in contaminated food may cause harm to kidneys.

At high levels, mercury affects the nervous system. Long-term exposure to low levels of mercury may cause irreversible damage to the brain and kidneys.

In addition to breathing the vapors, mercury can enter the body through skin pores if handled.

— Staff writer Tim Carpenter contributed to this story.