CFL Disposal
So, you’ve switched over to CFLs and are saving energy at a mind-boggling rate, but what about the mercury levels, and what should you do if the bulb breaks or burns out?
Energy Star has come out with an information sheet on CFLs that includes tips for proper disposal.
CFLs do contain mercury, but in very low levels. According to Energy Star, it would take 100 CFLs to equal the amount of mercury in a traditional medical thermometer. While the bulb is functional, the mercury is completely contained in glass and is not an exposure risk.
If the bulb breaks, follow Energy Star’s clean up procedures:
1. Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
2. Carefully scoop up the fragments and powder with stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a sealed
plastic bag.Use disposable rubber gloves, if available (i.e., do not use bare hands). Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes and place them in the plastic bag. Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.
3. Place all cleanup materials in a second sealed plastic bag. Place the first bag in a second sealed plastic bag and put it in the outdoor trash container or in another outdoor protected area for the next normal trash disposal. Note: some states prohibit such trash disposal and require that broken and unbroken lamps be taken to a local recycling center. Wash your hands after disposing of the bag.
4. If a fluorescent bulb breaks on a rug or carpet:
First, remove all materials you can without using a vacuum cleaner, following the steps above. Sticky
tape (such as duct tape) can be used to pick up small pieces 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 two sealed plastic bags in the outdoor trash or protected outdoor location for normal disposal.
If the bulb burns out, double bag it in two plastic bags and dispose of as you would a broken bulb, or check the EPA website or Earth911 to find recycling options in your neighborhood.
Thanks, Mike!