Toxic clean-up in aisle four!

I kinda like these newfangled Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFLs). They're too dim to make good reading lights, but they serve well in situations where changing a lightbulb frequently would be inconvenient or impossible - say, when you're leaving the lights on while staying away from home for an extended period.

I broke a CFL once. I was trying to screw it in, and it slipped out of my fingers and broke on the end table. Part of the bulb fell on the carpet. So I swept up the pieces and threw them away, grumbling about the loss of eight dollars. Then I ran a handheld vacuum cleaner over the table and floor. I did all this in a room with the windows closed and the AC running.

Now I learn that every single step I took in handling this household chore was a dangerous blunder. In fact, I was mistaken even to think of it as a household chore. I should have treated it as a toxic spill. CFLs, you see, contain mercury - anywhere from about one to five milligrams of it. And when they break, they release toxic dust into the air.

According to the EPA, here is how you should actually deal with a broken CFL:

How to clean up a fluorescent bulb

Before cleanup: Vent the room 1. Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more. 2. Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one. Cleanup steps for hard surfaces 3. 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. 4. Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder. 5. Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes and place them in the glass jar or plastic bag. 6. Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces. Cleanup steps for carpeting or rug 3. 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. 4. Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder. 5. If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken. 6. Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic bag. Disposal of cleanup materials 7. Immediately place all cleanup materials outside the building in a trash container or outdoor protected area for the next normal trash. 8. Wash your hands after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing cleanup materials. 9. 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 lamps be taken to a recycling center. Future cleaning of carpeting or rug 10. For at least the next few times you vacuum, shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system and open a window prior to vacuuming. 11. Keep the central heating/air conditioning system shut off and the window open for at least 15 minutes after vacuuming is completed.

Wow. Sounds like overkill to me. I'm reminded of news stories about some kid who breaks a thermometer (containing mercury) in a school, and the school authorities immediately evacuate the facility, bring in EPA experts wearing HazMat suits, and spend three days decontaminating the place. Yes, this really happens. (Many more examples here.)

Anyway, I doubt that a little mercury dust is going to kill anyone, just as I doubt that the dollop of mercury in a thermometer needs to be treated like The Blob. But it does seem that mass consumption of CFLs will lead to a landfill problem, as this MSNBC article points out. 

The same article includes a stirring anecdote of bureaucracy in action:

Manufacturers and the EPA say broken CFLs should be handled carefully and recycled to limit dangerous vapors and the spread of mercury dust. But guidelines for how to do that can be difficult to find, as Brandy Bridges of Ellsworth, Maine, discovered.

“It was just a wiggly bulb that I reached up to change,” Bridges said. “When the bulb hit the floor, it shattered.”

When Bridges began calling around to local government agencies to find out what to do, “I was shocked to see how uninformed literally everyone I spoke to was,” she said. “Even our own poison control operator didn’t know what to tell me.”

The state eventually referred her to a private cleanup firm, which quoted a $2,000 estimate to contain the mercury. After Bridges complained publicly about her predicament, state officials changed their recommendation: Simply throw it in the trash, they said.

HT: Hot Air.

Comments

[william]

We are creating a toxic planet but have no fear nature will clean it up. It wont be pretty but it will be effective.

One has to wonder what direction the comments will take on this topic considering the last two posts. I suspect Michael is running a test here like last time. So here goes.

Reincarnation anyone. Lets see how can I make toxic waste and reincarnation go together like wine and cheese.

Better yet I can plug my origin of ignorance discovery into how ignorance is the underlying cause of every evil even the mishandling of toxic waste.

I bet the folks in those UFO’s look at down our planet or maybe they consider this planet their planet but anyhow they may look at our approach of handling waste and shudder.

See I got reincarnation, origin of ignorance and UFO’S in.

Now my dry humor aside I did not have any idea these bulbs were so dangerous. With the new emphasis on these types of low current bulbs are we making a worst mess than global warming by not using our old type light bulbs?

Where is al gore when we need him to comment on this?

[Hope Rivers]

Thanks for reminding me not to buy the damn things, I'll pay the premium to stay with the traditional bulb until such time they stop making them.

Its a matter of life or death not to mention the extra unnecessary work when things go wrong. Gees lets not be martyrs for a dollar :-)

[Hope Rivers]

I know, I know so much for me being environmentally friendly ;-)

[william]

I thought all the traditional bulbs in aussie land were taken off the shelf and you had to buy these new long lasting low current types.

Off topic I am sure but found this quote on Internet the other day and thought of all the blogging I do since I retired and I have been following the speeches of our presidential candidates and the cable news media’s comments about those speeches. Brought a smile to my mind.

“The reason there is so much ignorance is that those who have it are so eager to share it.”
Clark, Frank A.

I don't know why you say they aren't bright enough. The packaging shows the equivalient standard bulb. Do you mean that labeling is wrong?

[Tony S]

I find they don't last as long at they claim.

The only one that broke on me, it the base fell apart and the electronic circuit board dropped out!?! Fortunately for me the glass didn't break.

[Hope Rivers]

Not yet William, but the day is coming, and then I will be forced to buy them like everyone else.

I'm glad you posted this topic MP because I would have done exactly the same if I dropped one.

[Michael Prescott]

>I don't know why you say they aren't bright enough. The packaging shows the equivalent standard bulb. Do you mean that labeling is wrong?

No, but I can't find any CFLs that are brighter than 100 watts. I think 150 watts or higher is better for reading. (From what I understand, brighter CFLs are available, but they are large, expensive, and hard to find.)

[Tony S]

you can use a lamp or lighting fixture that can hold multiple bulbs, and put 3-60's in it for the equivalent of 180 watts. I have 3 40's in the ceiling fan in my office, and it's a little too bright for me.

[Michael H]

A couple of things occurred to me while reading this.

First, is that the overwhelming majority using CFL's is likely to have any idea that there are toxic elements involved in the product, or that breakage of a bulb becomes a Haz-Mat issue. Second, is that almost anything we do seems to have a consequence. In this case, the choice seems to be to minimize energy usage, lowering environmental impact, at the cost of damaging the environment by increasing mercury levels in landfills, which are already filled with various other toxic wastes.

Pick your poison? It's easy to see how some conclude that humanity is a scourge on earth.

[Michael H]

Bad proofreading - the second sentence should read "not, likely to have".

I'm "Hopeless" too, Wax Frog. :-)

[Ryan]

William, your joke on your original post was funny. :-D

It's a competition between you and Hope for resident comedian. Hmmm... or maybe that should be MP.

[Ryan]

Or Maybe Michael H could be a comedian too. This one is a classic:

Pick your poison? It's easy to see how some conclude that humanity is a scourge on earth.

Only joking, Michael H. That comment just stood out in relation to some of the more light-hearted comments. ;-)

[william]

What! Ryan mentioned my humor. Thanks for that.

Now did you hear the story about?

[Hope Rivers]

I'll take this compliment too Ryan ;-)

It's nice too know little ol' me has made such an impact to be in the running for resident comedian, obviously 2 months is way plenty to become an official resident. Gees I really do feel the love this time!

I feel for all the faithfuls who have been coming for years and years and have yet to have any honour?? bestowed on them, my deepest sympathies to you all.

Wow looks like I've grown in stature no longer 5'4 but heading towards 6'4 ;-)

[Topher Cooper]

As far as I know the situation is the same with compact florescent bulbs and traditional florescent "tube" bulbs ... except that I rather suspect that there is much less mercury in the compacts. In either case it is unlikely that the mercury will be in soluble organic forms that are a risk -- elemental mercury and insoluble mercury compounds are harmless.

I rather strongly suspect that these rather draconian suggestions are to avoid lawsuits of the form "I broke a bulb and you recommended simple cleanup procedures and then just 2 years later my son was diagnosed with autism -- clearly someone is to blame and I pick you". Of course, I claim no special knowledge or expertise, so don't sue me either -- use your own judgment.

[Michael Prescott]

>I rather strongly suspect that these rather draconian suggestions are to avoid lawsuits of the form "I broke a bulb and you recommended simple cleanup procedures and then just 2 years later my son was diagnosed with autism -- clearly someone is to blame and I pick you".

I think your suspicion is probably right on target.

Plus there's the natural bureaucratic tendency to worry a minor problem into a major crisis.

[Ryan]

William said:
>Now did you hear the story about?

Hope said:
>Wow looks like I've grown in stature no longer 5'4 but heading towards 6'4 ;-)

See, you two are at it again...
:-)

[Hope Rivers]

"you can use a lamp or lighting fixture that can hold multiple bulbs, and put 3-60's in it for the equivalent of 180 watts. I have 3 40's in the ceiling fan in my office, and it's a little too bright for me".

What a great idea, I may do this over my bed, so I can tan!(or burn)while I sleep ;-)

[Ellis Taylor]

These light bulbs endanger our health when they are switched on and we are near them as well. I wrote an article on my blog about it after their affects were shown to me by a scientific chap i know:
http://ellistaylor.blogspot.com/2007/11/are-trendy-econobulbs-strafing-brain.html

[Hope Rivers]

Hey Ellis, you left off a portion of your link.

-strafing-brain.html :-)

[Hope Rivers]

MP Its nice when you can make adjustments to posts. :-)