What to Do if a Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) Bulb or Fluorescent Tube Light Bulb Breaks

[usregimechange]

Fluorescent light bulbs contain a small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing. When a fluorescent bulb breaks in your home, some of this mercury is released as mercury vapor. The broken bulb can continue to release mercury vapor until it is cleaned up and removed from the residence. To minimize exposure to mercury vapor, EPA recommends that residents follow the cleanup and disposal steps described below.

This page presents only the most important steps to reduce exposure to mercury vapor from a broken bulb.

1. Before cleanup
* Have people and pets leave the room.
* Air out the room for 5-10 minutes by opening a window or door to the outdoor environment.
* Shut off the central forced air heating/air-conditioning (H&AC) system, if you have one.
* Collect materials needed to clean up broken bulb.

2. During cleanup
* Be thorough in collecting broken glass and visible powder.
* Place cleanup materials in a sealable container.

3. After cleanup
* Promptly place all bulb debris and cleanup materials outdoors in a trash container or protected area until materials can be disposed of properly. Avoid leaving any bulb fragments or cleanup materials indoors.
* For several hours, continue to air out the room where the bulb was broken and leave the H&AC system shut off.

http://www.epa.gov/cfl/cflcleanup.html

View the detailed recommendations:
http://www.epa.gov/cfl/cflcleanup-detailed.html

[Ian David]

1. Those steps are probably way over-kill, but it probably couldn't hurt. n/t

[RandomThoughts]

2. thats funny, you trying to say something broke.

LOL. Do you know the heart?

[Whoa_Nelly]

3. The need for detail in clean up is because CFLs have mercury in them

However, here's Snopes take on it all: http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/cfl.asp

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

4. Put your head between your legs and kiss your ass goodbye?

[PBS Poll-435]

5. Duck and Cover

And then follow the instructions in the OP.

:)

[NoPasaran]

6. Game over, man!!! Game Over!!!

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

7. You probably get more mecury in your body from eating salmon.

Open the window for a few minutes if you're an extra-big wimp and just clean it up.
It's not a big deal... really.

[rfranklin]

14. That's what I used to hear about asbestos...

those guys are all gone now.

[Pancho Sanza]

21. The asbestos 'scare' was just more fodder for lawyers. Almost no people actually

died from anything to do with it...but many attorneys got very well.

[midnight]

8. Thanks for this info. Didn't realize that these bulbs had mercury in them...

[Pancho Sanza]

22. You're a regular reader of DU (which shows you're an aware person) and you never knew

that fluorescent lamps didn't have a little teeny bit of mercury in them? How is that possible?

[freethought]

9. Not much you really can do

Once the bulb breaks the mercury vapor escapes. Once it's out, it's out. The advice posted is probably pretty sound.

Mercury vapor is pretty heavy and will most likely spread out across the floor and into low lying areas. It would take a pretty big number of compact fluorescent bulbs I would be worried. One probably could be at greater risk of Hg poisoning by eating certain types of seafood.

[madrchsod]

10. i throw mine in the garbage tote

[AndyTiedye]

19. I Think That Would Be Illegal Here

[cherokeeprogressive]

11. Good idea. Put more mercury in the landfills than already exsts there.

:crazy:

[virgogal]

12. I think I'll go back to candlelight--------too much work for me with.

this type of bulb.:-)

[AndyTiedye]

23. LEDs Are Looking Better All The Time

The days of CFL are numbered. LEDs will rule.

[DCKit]

13. Call the EPA and check into a hotel room. nt

[TheCowsCameHome]

15. Send the pieces to the RNC

just to be on the safe side.

[Harry Monroe]

16. I've had a few of them break

Sweep them up and throw them away? That's all I've ever done.

[Creative]

17. Typical government overkill.

I wonder how much it cost for someone to come up with this?

[AmandaMae]

18. How much mercury do they contain? Is this mostly precautionary?

[Pancho Sanza]

20. How much Hg (Mercury)? Less than a 6 oz. can of tuna.

This kind of shit is just WAY beyond ridiculous.