Hi
Everybody:
Well I don't know about you but I have been
considering putting in fluorescent bulbs but I know that if you break them they
are very dangerous and pretty much require a Hazmat team to come in and clean
up.
This is the
first article that I have seen (see below or go to website) on how to clean up a
break so if you are considering them or you already have them take note....
Wayde Hunter
North Valley
Coalition
What if I accidentally break
a fluorescent lamp in my house?
The lamp
contains a small amount of mercury, but you can clean this up yourself if you do
the following:
-
Do not use a vacuum
cleaner to clean up the breakage. This will spread the mercury vapor and
dust throughout the area and could potentially contaminate the vacuum.
-
Keep people and pets
away from the breakage area until the cleanup is complete.
-
Ventilate the area by
opening windows, and leave the area for 15 minutes before returning to begin
the cleanup. Mercury vapor levels will be lower by then.
-
For maximum protection
and if you have them, wear rubber gloves to protect your hands from the
sharp glass.
-
Carefully remove the
larger pieces and place them in a secure closed container, preferably a
glass container with a metal screw top lid and seal like a canning jar.1
A glass jar with a good seal works best to contain any mercury vapors
inside.2
-
Next, begin collecting
the smaller pieces and dust. You can use two stiff pieces of paper such as
index cards or playing cards to scoop up pieces.
-
Pat the area with the
sticky side of duct tape, packing tape or masking tape to pick up fine
particles. Wipe the area with a wet wipe or damp paper towel to pick up even
finer particles.
-
Put all waste and
materials into the glass container, including all material used in the
cleanup that may have been contaminated with mercury. Label the container as
“Universal Waste - broken lamp.”
-
Remove the container
with the breakage and cleanup materials from your home. This is particularly
important if you do not have a glass container.
-
Continue ventilating the
room for several hours.
-
Wash your hands and
face.
-
Take the glass container
with the waste material to a facility that accepts “universal waste” for
recycling. To determine where your municipality has made arrangements for
recycling of this type of waste, call your municipal office or find your
town in this list
municipal collection sites (MS Excel format) (pdf
format).
-
When a break happens on
carpeting, homeowners may consider removing throw rugs or the area of carpet
where the breakage occurred as a precaution, particularly if the rug is in
an area frequented by infants, small children or pregnant women.
-
Finally, if the carpet
is not removed, open the window to the room during the next several times
you vacuum the carpet to provide good ventilation.
The next
time you replace a lamp, consider putting a drop cloth on the floor so that any
accidental breakage can be easily cleaned up. If consumers remain concerned
regarding safety, they may consider not utilizing fluorescent lamps in
situations where they could easily be broken. Consumers may also consider
avoiding CFL usage in bedrooms or carpeted areas frequented by infants, small
children, or pregnant women. Finally, consider not storing too many used/spent
lamps before recycling as that may increase your chances of breakage. Don’t
forget to properly recycle your used fluorescent bulbs so they don’t break and
put mercury into our environment.
1Other
jars that can be made of glass and also work are pickle, peanut butter and
applesauce jars. Not ideal but also a good choice for containing breakage is a
heavy duty #2 plastic container with either a screw lid or push-on lid such as a
joint compound bucket or certain kitty litter-type containers.
2If
the only suitable jar available has food in it, you may need to empty it into
another container before using it.
