Broken Bulbs: Avoiding Mercury Exposure
I am a strong advocate of using compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs given their high energy efficiency, and therefore reduced impact on the environment. If you don’t know them by their name, CFL bulbs are simply the twisted light bulbs you see everywhere these days. As great as they are, however, CFLs do contain mercury vapor and are therefore important to dispose of properly if broken. In the event that you break one of these bulbs, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends the following: First, open a window and leave the room for at least 15 minutes. This will allow for proper ventilation. Also, make sure to shut off your central heating/air conditioning systems if you have one. Upon reentering the room you’re then instructed to use stiff cardboard or paper to scoop up the large glass fragments. Make sure to not use a broom or vacuum to clean the debris as t...