Broken CFL Bulb? I recently broke a CFL bulb. It was a black reading light...
I recently broke a CFL bulb. It was a black reading light made by Globe.
Now I've read that these bulbs contain mercury and isn't enough to harm most inhabitants. But then I also read the precautions for cleaning up after the bulb breaks. So if it isn't harmful why do we enjoy to be so careful cleaning up the mess. Anyways the bulb broke beside my bed on the table, so I don't know if I should sleep in it or what to do beside the pillows or sheets. Any suggestions or solutions?
Answers: Fluorescent light bulbs contain a very small amount of mercury hermetic within the glass tubing.
Before Clean-up: Air Out the Room(mercury will turn into vapour) Have general public & pets leave the room, and don't let anyone meander through the breakage area on their way out.
Open a pane & leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
Shut off the centralized forced-air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one.
Clean-Up Steps for Hard Surfaces
Carefully scoop up chalice pieces and powder using stiff paper or cardboard & place them in a hermetically sealed plastic bag.
Use sticky tape, to pick up any remaining small chalice fragments & powder.
Wipe the area clean beside damp paper towels or disposable showery wipes. Place towels in the plastic case.
Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.
Clean-up Steps for Carpeting or Rug
Carefully pick up cup fragments and place them in a sealed plastic backpack.
Use sticky tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments & powder.
If vacuuming is needed after adjectives visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where on earth the bulb was broken.
Remove the vacuum bag (or forsaken and wipe the canister), & put the bag or vacuum debris contained by a sealed plastic bag.
Clean-up Steps for Clothing, Bedding and Other Soft Materials
If clothing or bedding materials come within direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from inside the bulb that may stick to the material, the clothing or bedding should be thrown away. Do not wash such clothing or bedding because mercury fragments in the clothing may contaminate the appliance and/or pollute sewage.
You can, however, wash clothing or other materials that have be 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.
Disposal of Clean-up Materials
Immediately place adjectives clean-up materials outdoors in a trash container.
Wash your hands after disposing of the jar or plastic bags containing clean-up materials.
Check with your local or state management about disposal requirements in your specific nouns. 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.