What to do when compact fluorescents crack

[GaryC 7]

February 26, 2008

Compact fluorescent lamps contain small amounts of toxic mercury that can vaporize when the bulbs break, creating a potential health risk for infants, young children, and pregnant women. If a lamp does break, follow these cleanup procedures:

Mercury leaks found as new bulbs break

Keep people and pets away. Open windows, and leave the area for 15 minutes before beginning the cleanup.

Do not use a vacuum cleaner, even on a carpet. This will spread the mercury vapor and dust and potentially contaminate the vacuum.

Wear rubber gloves.

Carefully remove the larger pieces and place them in a secure closed container, preferably a glass jar with a metal screw top lid and seal like a canning jar.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/...rescents_crack/

Next, scoop up the smaller pieces and dust using two stiff pieces of paper such as index cards or playing cards.

Pick up fine particles with duct tape, packing tape, or masking tape, and then use a wet wipe or damp paper towel.

Put all waste into the glass container, including all material used in the cleanup. Remove the container from your home and call your local solid waste district or municipality for disposal instructions.

Continue ventilating the room for several hours.

Wash your hands and face.

As a precaution, consider discarding throw rugs or the area of carpet where the breakage occurred, particularly if the rug is in an area frequented by infants, small children or pregnant women. Otherwise, open windows during the next several times you vacuum the carpet to provide good ventilation.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I bought a whole box of these and then read about the complex disposal instructions. Muthafucka!!! If I knew before I would have stuck with the usual.

[Dan J 277]

February 26, 2008

Compact fluorescent lamps contain small amounts of toxic mercury that can vaporize when the bulbs break, creating a potential health risk for infants, young children, and pregnant women. If a lamp does break, follow these cleanup procedures:

Mercury leaks found as new bulbs break

Keep people and pets away. Open windows, and leave the area for 15 minutes before beginning the cleanup.

Do not use a vacuum cleaner, even on a carpet. This will spread the mercury vapor and dust and potentially contaminate the vacuum.

Wear rubber gloves.

Carefully remove the larger pieces and place them in a secure closed container, preferably a glass jar with a metal screw top lid and seal like a canning jar.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/...rescents_crack/

Next, scoop up the smaller pieces and dust using two stiff pieces of paper such as index cards or playing cards.

Pick up fine particles with duct tape, packing tape, or masking tape, and then use a wet wipe or damp paper towel.

Put all waste into the glass container, including all material used in the cleanup. Remove the container from your home and call your local solid waste district or municipality for disposal instructions.

Continue ventilating the room for several hours.

Wash your hands and face.

As a precaution, consider discarding throw rugs or the area of carpet where the breakage occurred, particularly if the rug is in an area frequented by infants, small children or pregnant women. Otherwise, open windows during the next several times you vacuum the carpet to provide good ventilation.

Unless you are being careless, there is very little opportunity for bulbs to break. Mercury is any florescent bulb, including the ones used in most offices and public buildings.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

more harm comes from crossing the street. let's not overreact people.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I got a letter from my HOA... about fluorescent bulbs. Apparently, I can't throw them in the trash. Nor can I take them to my local recycling center. Nor can I take them to my townships recycling center. I have to take them to my county hazardous waste facility... on one of two designated days each month. Like I don't have enough sh i t to deal with.

[GaryC 7]

February 26, 2008

Compact fluorescent lamps contain small amounts of toxic mercury that can vaporize when the bulbs break, creating a potential health risk for infants, young children, and pregnant women. If a lamp does break, follow these cleanup procedures:

Mercury leaks found as new bulbs break

Keep people and pets away. Open windows, and leave the area for 15 minutes before beginning the cleanup.

Do not use a vacuum cleaner, even on a carpet. This will spread the mercury vapor and dust and potentially contaminate the vacuum.

Wear rubber gloves.

Carefully remove the larger pieces and place them in a secure closed container, preferably a glass jar with a metal screw top lid and seal like a canning jar.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/...rescents_crack/

Next, scoop up the smaller pieces and dust using two stiff pieces of paper such as index cards or playing cards.

Pick up fine particles with duct tape, packing tape, or masking tape, and then use a wet wipe or damp paper towel.

Put all waste into the glass container, including all material used in the cleanup. Remove the container from your home and call your local solid waste district or municipality for disposal instructions.

Continue ventilating the room for several hours.

Wash your hands and face.

As a precaution, consider discarding throw rugs or the area of carpet where the breakage occurred, particularly if the rug is in an area frequented by infants, small children or pregnant women. Otherwise, open windows during the next several times you vacuum the carpet to provide good ventilation.

Unless you are being careless, there is very little opportunity for bulbs to break. Mercury is any florescent bulb, including the ones used in most offices and public buildings.

But you know that sh!t happens. It has the same (if not more) chance to break as a regular bulb. How many of them have you broken in the last few years? What would you do if it were 0 deg outside? Keep the windows open for several hours like it says? I think I will get rid of mine and go back to the good old fashioned kind of bulbs.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Gary, you won't be able to do that once the bastards make the old kind illegal.

[GaryC 7]

Gary, you won't be able to do that once the bastards make the old kind illegal.

I will buy them by the case at Big Lots before they are illegal.

Edited February 27, 2008 by GaryC

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

And your big case will run out eventually.

Not being argumentative, just sayin'.

[GaryC 7]

And your big case will run out eventually.

Not being argumentative, just sayin'.

Yeah, maybe by then I can get LED lights. They are better anyway. They use less electricity, are not dangerous and last longer. I want to just skip the CF lights.

[Dan J 277]

I got a letter from my HOA... about fluorescent bulbs. Apparently, I can't throw them in the trash. Nor can I take them to my local recycling center. Nor can I take them to my townships recycling center. I have to take them to my county hazardous waste facility... on one of two designated days each month. Like I don't have enough sh i t to deal with.

I do agree that recycling facilities for CFL's are lacking. Check local hardware stores to see if they recycle the bulbs.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

My local HD and Lowe's also do it twice a month... the day before the country hazardous waste guys will take it

[GaryC 7]

I got a letter from my HOA... about fluorescent bulbs. Apparently, I can't throw them in the trash. Nor can I take them to my local recycling center. Nor can I take them to my townships recycling center. I have to take them to my county hazardous waste facility... on one of two designated days each month. Like I don't have enough sh i t to deal with.

Take them outside, crush them up so no one can tell what they were and put in your trash. If the enviromentalists want us to use them they should give us a way to get rid of them.

[Dan J 277]

And your big case will run out eventually.

Not being argumentative, just sayin'.

Yeah, maybe by then I can get LED lights. They are better anyway. They use less electricity, are not dangerous and last longer. I want to just skip the CF lights.

At the moment they run about $35-75 per bulb. Might be affordable for an apartment, but it could get quite expensive for a house.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I got a letter from my HOA... about fluorescent bulbs. Apparently, I can't throw them in the trash. Nor can I take them to my local recycling center. Nor can I take them to my townships recycling center. I have to take them to my county hazardous waste facility... on one of two designated days each month. Like I don't have enough sh i t to deal with.

Take them outside, crush them up so no one can tell what they were and put in your trash. If the enviromentalists want us to use them they should give us a way to get rid of them.

I was thinking I'll just drop them off in front of the Home Depot after they close. Kind of like dropping off a baby in front of a hospital. They'll have to take care of it and if they don't its their fault not mine