Take Me To Post Comment Form CFLs, or Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs, have recently been touted as the Eco-breakthrough of the century. We’ve all been told to make the switch now to reduce energy use, and to prevent greenhouse emissions which contribute to global warming. All of this hype is true, but before you change over, read on, because there is a dark side to CFLs. CFLs contain mercury. Mercury is the component that allows the efficiency of the light source. The fact that CFLs contain mercury, however, is a problem. Mercury is poisonous. Although they contain a small amount, it could be an environmental concern in the future for landfills, groundwater near those landfills, the air we breathe if that mercury becomes airborne, and water pollution from leaching out of soils. None of these problems will occur overnight, but as with most environmental disasters, the consequences appear over time. A more pressing, immediate issue with CFLs was brought to my attention by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. This government agency has published a guideline on how to clean up after a CFL light bulb is broken in your home. CFLs must be double-bagged in plastic bags, and labeled as hazardous waste. They even describe the complicated ways the mercury is to be secured and picked up. Squeegies and Sulphur dust (which is also poisonous) were suggested. Many cities are purchasing machines to crush these bulbs under negative pressure ventilation with a mercury absorbing filter or cold trap which treats contaminated gases. Imagine having to treat every burned out light bulb with such care to protect the environment and your family’s health! The EPA advises that if you have a CFL break in your house to do the following: (taken directly from the EPA website) 1. Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more. 2. Carefully scoop up the fragments and powder with stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a sealed plastic bag. • 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. • Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces. 3. Place all cleanup materials in a second sealed plastic bag. • 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. • Wash your hands after disposing of the bag. • (Another site suggests taking this plastic bag to a hazardous waste facility) 4. If a fluorescent bulb breaks on a rug or carpet: • 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. • 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. (Or take it to a hazardous waste facility) The EPA also advises the poor consumer what they should NEVER do: (taken directly from the EPA website) • Never use a vacuum cleaner to clean up mercury. The vacuum will put mercury into the air and increase exposure. The vacuum appliance will be contaminated and have to be thrown away. • Never use a broom to clean up mercury. It will break the mercury into smaller droplets and spread them. • Never pour mercury down a drain. It may lodge in the plumbing and cause future problems during plumbing repairs. If discharged, it can cause pollution of the septic tank or sewage treatment plant. • Never wash mercury-contaminated items in a washing machine. Mercury may contaminate the machine and/or pollute sewage. • Never walk around if your shoes might be contaminated with mercury. Contaminated clothing can also spread mercury around. The EPA is continually updating their recommendations on CFL clean up. If more than 2 tablespoons of mercury is spilled in the home, it becomes a haz-mat clean up, and too dangerous for the consumer to attempt alone. (2 T=1 lb of mercury). Imagine if you had CFLs in all of your lamps at home and there was an earthquake….every room could be contaminated with mercury. So, now that I have shown you the dark side, you can make an informed decision. Contribute to global warming, or contribute to pollution in your home should the bulb break? There are definite advantages to using the bulbs, and if they are cared for with great caution, disposed of properly, secured to prevent breakage, we all win. The ball’s in your court.