EPA's CFL Warning

It is environmentally irresponsible to distribute or promote a product that becomes a biohazard without notifying the consumer of the hazards. Yet somehow there are a few hundred million bulbs in use without anyone knowing the EPA's cleanup instructions.

There is a legitimate concern about the Mercury ending up in landfills. Mercury is the only element that can sink to the bottom of a lake and also evaporate.

A bigger concern is what to do if one breaks. Mercury is a neurotoxin. Each CFL contains 75 times more Mercury than a serving of fresh tuna. No you aren't going to eat the CFL, but 30% of the Mercury is atomized. It's not the liquid from thermometers that kids used to play with.

The challenge is for pregnant women and small children. Mercury goes straight through the placenta and amplifies in the fetus. Small children are closer to the ground, have smaller body weights and are more vulnerable to neurotoxins.

The answer is to follow the EPA's cleanup recommendations. During the '90's, every school district was required to hand out the EPA's warning.

What to Do if a Fluorescent Light Bulb Breaks

Fluorescent light bulbs contain a very small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing. EPA recommends the following clean-up and disposal guidelines:

Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
Carefully scoop up the fragments and powder with stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a sealed plastic bag.
1. 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.
2. Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.
Place all cleanup materials in a second sealed plastic bag.
1. 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.
2. Wash your hands after disposing of the bag.
If a fluorescent bulb breaks on a rug or carpet:
1. 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.
2. 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 you know someone pregnant or with small children, cut, paste and print the cleanup instruction for them.