I was watching FoxNews this morning and they had a segment about the compact fluorescent light bulbs having mercury in them.
They recognize with everyone trying to save energy and money that they will be used more and more but do not feel the need to have a national campaign about their disposal.
Fluorescent light bulbs contain a very small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing.
EPA recommends the following clean-up and disposal below.
Please also read the information on this page about what never to do with a mercury spill.
Before Clean-up: Air Out the Room
Have people and pets leave the room, and don't let anyone walk through the breakage area on their way out.
Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more. Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one.
Clean-Up Steps for Hard Surfaces
Carefully scoop up glass pieces and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place towels in the glass jar or plastic bag.
Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.
Clean-up Steps for Carpeting or Rug
Carefully pick up glass fragments and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken.
Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic bag.
Clean-up Steps for Clothing, Bedding and Other Soft Materials
If clothing or bedding materials come in direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from inside the bulb that may stick to the fabric, the clothing or bedding should be thrown away.
Do not wash such clothing or bedding because mercury fragments in the clothing may contaminate the machine and/or pollute sewage.
You can, however, wash clothing or other materials that have been exposed to the mercury vapor from a broken CFL, such as the clothing you are wearing when you cleaned up the broken CFL, as long as that clothing has not come into direct contact with the materials from the broken bulb.
If shoes come into direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from the bulb, wipe them off with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes.
Place the towels or wipes in a glass jar or plastic bag for disposal.
Disposal of Clean-up Materials
Immediately place all clean-up materials outdoors in a trash container or protected area for the next normal trash pickup.
Wash your hands after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing clean-up materials.
Check with your local or state government about disposal requirements in your specific area.
Some states do not allow such trash disposal. Instead, they require that broken and unbroken mercury-containing bulbs be taken to a local recycling center.
Future Cleaning of Carpeting or Rug: Air Out the Room During and After Vacuuming
The next several times you vacuum, shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system and open a window before vacuuming.
Keep the central heating/air conditioning system shut off and the window open for at least 15 minutes after vacuuming is completed.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
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Yes, that is just one reason I won't buy them.
Sure, when they are changed, precautions can be made but what then? When they eventually break where does that go? And, not everyone is graceful. Things get dropped.
And, what about in earthquakes? Lamps go down.
Another note, even the newer flor. lights can trigger seizures for me - and others who are sensitive.
Too bad they didn't work out all the bugs in this campaign as it is important to save fossil fuel. But what were they thinking???!
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Posted by emla999/Lyme (Member # 12606) on :
Unfortunately, mercury can be found in many common household items.
Mercury can be found in some cosmetics. The state of Minnesota has even banned the usage of mercury in cosmetics.
Its really sad at how much mercury we are releasing into the environment.
Posted by sparkle7 (Member # 10397) on :
It's also put in people's heads as fillings for cavities...
Mine were put in when I was a child & had no say in the matter.
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Also, about those compact florescent bulbs - I heard that they are going to outlaw the incandescent ones in a year or so. I don't remember where I heard this. So, if you prefer them - stock up.
It's really hypocritical - you may save energy but imagine all the toxic mercury that will be leached into the soil in dumps.
People aren't being told that you have to dispose of these bulbs with caution when they burn out. I had no idea until recently.
It so ridiculous that these bulbs are being referred to as being "green"...
Posted by lymeHerx001 (Member # 6215) on :
I got much worse once I had 5 mercury fillings placed into my mouth within a couple of weeks.
Then I really went downhill.
Drilling them out however caused no symptoms whatsoever. I think it allready entered my nervous system.
Posted by emla999/Lyme (Member # 12606) on :
The link bellow will take you to an actual silver dental amalgam label.
I noticed on that label that there was a skull and cross bones on it with the word POISON written underneath.
And on that label it actually warns the dentist that by placing this amalgam into a patient you will increase the level of mercury in that patient's body. Posted by lymeHerx001 (Member # 6215) on :
Yes it says right on it that placement will increase mercury in the body of the patient.
WHAT A CRIME!!!!!!!!!!!!
I really think that my treatment would have been so much easier without the damn mercury fillings.
I feel so down in the dumps about this.
Posted by bugabooboo (Member # 7383) on :
These lights cause me to have migraines as fluorescent lights do.
Hubby and I keep talking about buying up a lot of the old ones.
I suppose this has been discussed on this board before but I just don't get this!
Bug
Posted by NanaDubo (Member # 14794) on :
I received a letter from the company that picks up my trash and recycling. They said "effective immediately" that these bulbs can only be taken to the local facility for proper disposal.
This local facility has one day a year that these types of toxic products can be brought in.
I think I prefer to just not use them period. What kind of proper disposal could there possibly be? None.
![[Eek!]](eek.gif)