CF Bulb and My Cleanup Story25 Sep 2007 02:43 pm
By Tracy M
Forgive me a moment of soapboxing, and for just giving you the link, but I can’t figure out how to past the whole thing over here with all my links…
Here is what I went through today, when I finally broke a CF bulb in my kitchen. It was not pretty, Mamas.
Be very, very careful with these little beasties. I highly recommend checking out the government website and printing out the pdf they offer on how to clean-up your mercury infested house.
*putting soapbox away now*
Thank you for your time.
You can relax, the amount of mercury in one bulb is small enough that untouched it will safely evaporate and dissapate within 15 minutes. Opening the window was the most important act. Otherwise after that 15 min time frame you can vacuum at will. CFL bulbs are still a much greater savings than incandesant bulbs are.
Also don’t worry so much about mercury. In high concentrations it is dangerous, in the amounts found within one CFL, 5 mg. it is not dangerous.
For more info as to why we are concerned about mercury in the first place and what the risk is I recommend, http://www.epa.gov/mercury/about.htm .
Comment #1 by dIRKSeptember 25th, 2007 at 3:32 pmI wouldn’t have known about the dangers of a broken CF lightbulb if you hadn’t posted about it. I would’ve just walked into Voldemart, bought it, opened it, discarded the packaging without reading it (who reads packaging on lightbulbs anyway?). And if it would happen to break, I would have moved the kids into another room while I cleaned with my barehands, my vacuum and my broom. What exactly happens if you don’t take precautions? That’s just scary.
Comment #2 by CheckersSeptember 25th, 2007 at 3:33 pmDirk, if it’s no big deal, why the EPA site and the EnergyStar PDF and the warning labels on the packages? And what happens to the millions of these things that end up in landfill?
Comment #3 by Tracy MSeptember 25th, 2007 at 3:44 pmThey disappear among all the naturaly occuring Mercury. It’s an element. If you follow the EPA link I gave it explains how common Mercury is, how we all have mercury in our bodies already, and most importantly that Using CFL’s reduces energy needs which reduces the amount of mercury pumped into the atmosphere by coal burning powerplants.
It is dangerous, but as with lead we’ve allowed the fact that there is a danger when exposed in certain ways or amounts, to overshadow the facts that achieving such levels of exposure is extremely difficult to do.
Please use CFL’s, be careful so as not to break them, be careful to air out the room for a little while should one break, but remember that their small amount of mercury allows for a greater reduction in mercury being pumped into the atmosphere. Also note that according to snopes, this year new technology has allowed the manufacturers to further reduce the amount of mercury needed even further.
Comment #4 by DirkSeptember 25th, 2007 at 4:30 pmOh and they are soo careful in the warnings put on the packaging and websites because in this day and age, if they are not they get sued for hundreds of millions of dollars when someone lets their child chew on a bulb to the obvious results.
Comment #5 by DirkSeptember 25th, 2007 at 4:32 pmThanks to both of you, Tracy and Dirk, for this discussion. I’m learning tons, here!
Comment #6 by Heather O.September 25th, 2007 at 4:38 pmIt’s good to know. I’ll be sure not to let my kids play with one. lol
Comment #7 by SarahSeptember 25th, 2007 at 5:24 pmI appreciate your perspective, Dirk. There probably is a ballance to be found. It really upset me to have such a thing happen, with all the warnings, is such close proximity to my children.
I know Mercury is an element, but but if millions of these small amounts are being landfilled (in double bags) does that really weigh out against the natural mercury?
Comment #8 by Tracy MSeptember 25th, 2007 at 5:25 pmWell, I’m screwed. I had a box of these break in our utility closet and just tossed them out with no special cleanup involved. In fact, since they broke in the box I didn’t really clean up anything!
Oh well. If it’s not the CFL’s, it’ll be something else that gets me!
Comment #9 by SallyGirlSeptember 25th, 2007 at 8:06 pm