Are Compact Fluorescent Light
Bulb (CFL) "hazardous? "
FIRST THEY TELL YOU THAT CFL'S ARE NOT DANGEROUS, THEN THEY TELL YOU TO LEAVE THE ROOM IF THE CFL IS BROKEN WHILE YOU ARE THERE
We just received our monthly electric bill from ComEd.
Envelope also contained a small flyer that extols the CFL as saving money and having longer life.
The flyer also contains information about the Danger of being present if a CFL breaks.
The article starts by stating that the amount of Mercury in a CFL is less that 5mg( milligrams)..or roughly the size of the tip of a ball point pen.
The next sentence starts with "However" and then tells you to "Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes OR MORE If the CFL breaks.
The following is copied verbatim from web site...listed below.
Site starts out with a question.
How should I clean up a broken compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL)?
Because CFLs contain a small amount of mercury, EPA recommends the following clean-up and disposal guidelines:
1. Before Clean-up: Ventilate 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.
2. Clean-Up Steps for Hard Surfaces
Carefully scoop up glass fragments 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 and place them in the glass jar or plastic bag.
Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.
3. 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.
4. Clean-up Steps for Clothing, Bedding, etc.:
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 discarded.
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 happened to be 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.
5. Disposal of Clean-up Materials
Immediately place all cleanup 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 prohibit such trash disposal and require that broken and unbroken mercury-containing bulbs be taken to a local recycling center.
6. Future Cleaning of Carpeting or Rug: Ventilate 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 prior to vacuuming.
Keep the central heating/air conditioning system shut off and the window open for at least 15 minutes after vacuuming is completed.
The URL from Com Ed's site is included so visitors can determine that page auhor has not embellished on the care that is required when you decided to utilize CFL bulbs.
http://energystar.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/energystar.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=2655
City in Illinois considers CFL's hazardous
Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb (CFL)
Recycling Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs
(CFLs) have been in the media spotlight lately focusing on their environmental benefits.
They do however contain mercury vapor,which makes disposing of the bulbs a concern.
In response to this issue the Village...city in Illinois...in cooperation with the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC) offers a free recycling program to Mount Prospect residents.
Residents can bring their CFLs and four foot fluorescents to the Public Works department during normal business hours (Monday-Friday 7:30–5:00PM) for recycling.
CFLs should be brought to Public Works (*)Unbroken and in a zip lock bag for proper recycling.
This program is for residentially generated CFLs and is not for commercial or industrial businesses.
Please do not bring incandescent bulbs in for recycling. Incandescent bulbs are not hazardous and can be disposed of with your regular solid
waste.
For more information on the program,please visit the Village website or
contact the Public Works Department at 870-5640.
Copied from the Mount Prospect Village News...Spring 2009...No restrictions in copying noted.
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Launched: 11/20/2009