Earthday Cfl Lightbulb Cleanup

[jjtroutbum]

Before Clean-up: Air Out 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.
  
  
  
  • Carefully scoop up glass pieces 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. Place towels in the glass jar or plastic bag.
    
  • Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.
    
    
    
    • 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.
      
      
      

      • 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 thrown away. 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 are 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.
        

      Disposal of Clean-up Materials

      [*]Immediately place all clean-up 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 do not allow such trash disposal. Instead, they require that broken and unbroken mercury-containing bulbs be taken to a local recycling center.

      Future Cleaning of Carpeting or Rug: Air Out 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 before vacuuming.

      [*] Keep the central heating/air conditioning system shut off and the window open for at least 15 minutes after vacuuming is completed.

      http://www.epa.gov/hg/spills/#fluorescent

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      I will continue to use the old fashioned bulbs that are made in Kentucky and I can vacuum straight up vs. the new Green ones made in China that require a Hazmat operation. Until those are banned or regulated away for the good of the planet.

[Bman]

Glen Beck on Fox has been doing a spot on this subject. FUNNY!!!

[Buzz]

All of that is true, and no different than any other fluorescent lights, 2,4,6, and 8 foot. Although there may be a certain amount of hazard to the disposal of these bulbs, the benefits far out way the dangers,IMO. I have never broken one ( yet ), I have dropped a few and they are far more unbreakable than the old bulbs. I have been using them for several years now and the cost of the bulbs are more than made up for in the savings on electricity. I have some bulbs that I just replaced last month that I had bought five years ago.

[Kicknbass]

I've tried and stopped buying them. They do last longer, but cost a considerable amount more the standard bulbs. My biggest problem w/ them is they don't fit in the sockets as expected. I have a vanity fixture that I can get 3 of 4 flo bulbs in the fixture. They're kind of a pain.

[Buzz]

I've tried and stopped buying them. They do last longer, but cost a considerable amount more the standard bulbs. My biggest problem w/ them is they don't fit in the sockets as expected. I have a vanity fixture that I can get 3 of 4 flo bulbs in the fixture. They're kind of a pain.

I too have a vanity that takes 4 bulbs and I still use the old style clear bulbs. They make bulbs to fit it but, I don't like the looks of them for that fixture and they cost about five bucks each. Besides, being in the master bath, the lights last long enough. All of my other fixtures have a globe or some kind of cover around them, so I can mostly cover up the not too attractive corkscrew look of the bulbs.

The initial cost of changing a house over to CFL's is somewhat expensive, but if done over the course of a couple of weeks or even a month it doesn't hurt too bad. I now only buy light bulbs about once every 12 to 18 months.

[taxidermist]

Plus they failed to mention the MERCURY in the bulbs.

[Dave Cook]

I've never had one last more than a year. I've bought them at Wal-mart, Westlakes and the Hy-Vee grocery store (with rebates from KCPL), from 40 to 100 watt equivalent. They have all burned out (with a pop) and put out a really bad smell. I have not seen any warnings on the packages about how toxic they are.

I would not recommend them to anyone.