Proper procedure for disposing of mercury light bulbs
If you don’t have the correct information you cannot properly weigh the risk vs reward. As a homeowner the concern is for your family – the health risk is high, but legal risk is very low. Whereas if you are a company – the risk for your employees and customers is also high , yet the risk legally could be very costly. No one plans for accidents (that’s why They’re called accidents ) but once the door is opened, then claims of how the cleaning up of compact fluorescent bulbs that contain mercury were mishandled can be made. The truth is most companies are not even aware there is a procedure.
Everyone wants to believe their employees are sold out to the company they work for and their customers are extremely loyal to their brand. Unfortunately that’s not always the case. When the potential to earn money enters the scene all rational thinking seems to go out the window. If that were not the case, people would not be suing over coffee that is to hot, floors that are too slippery, unsafe work environment…..you get the picture.
Proper Procedure
How to clean-up a Broken Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) Bulb or Fluorescent Tube Light Bulb ( source : EPA )
Bulbs that contain mercury are fluorescent tubes, compact fluorescent (cfl’s) mercury vapor, metal halide and high pressure sodium.
Before Cleanup
- Have people and pets leave the room, and avoid the breakage area on the way out.
- Open a window or door to the outdoors and leave the room for 5-10 minutes.
- Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning (H&AC) system, if you have one.
- Collect materials you will need to clean up the broken bulb:
- Stiff paper or cardboard
- Sticky tape (e.g., duct tape)
- Damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes (for hard surfaces)
- Glass jar with a metal lid (such as a canning jar) or a sealable plastic bag(s)
Cleanup Steps for Hard Surfaces
- Carefully scoop up glass fragments and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place debris and paper/cardboard in a glass jar with a metal lid. If a glass jar is not available, use a sealable plastic bag. (NOTE: Since a plastic bag will not prevent the mercury vapor from escaping, remove the plastic bag(s) from the home after cleanup.)
- Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder. Place the used tape in the glass jar or plastic bag.
- Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place the towels in the glass jar or plastic bag.
- Vacuuming of hard surfaces during cleanup is not recommended unless broken glass remains after all other cleanup steps have been taken. [NOTE: It is possible that vacuuming could spread mercury-containing powder or mercury vapor, although available information on this problem is limited.] If vacuuming is needed to ensure removal of all broken glass, keep the following tips in mind:
- Keep a window or door to the outdoors open;
- Vacuum the area where the bulb was broken using the vacuum hose, if available; and
- Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister) and seal the bag/vacuum debris, and any materials used to clean the vacuum, in a plastic bag.
- Promptly place all bulb debris and cleanup materials, including vacuum cleaner bags, outdoors in a trash container or protected area until materials can be disposed of properly.
- Check with your local or state government about disposal requirements in your area. Some states and communities require fluorescent bulbs (broken or unbroken) be taken to a local recycling center.
- Wash your hands with soap and water after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing bulb debris and cleanup materials.
- Continue to air out the room where the bulb was broken and leave the H&AC system shut off, as practical, for several hours.
Cleanup Steps for Carpeting or Rugs
- Carefully scoop up glass fragments and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place debris and paper/cardboard in a glass jar with a metal lid. If a glass jar is not available, use a sealable plastic bag. (NOTE: Since a plastic bag will not prevent the mercury vapor from escaping, remove the plastic bag(s) from the home after cleanup.)
- Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder. Place the used tape in the glass jar or plastic bag.
- Vacuuming of carpeting or rugs during cleanup is not recommended unless broken glass remains after all other cleanup steps have been taken. [NOTE: It is possible that vacuuming could spread mercury-containing powder or mercury vapor, although available information on this problem is limited.] If vacuuming is needed to ensure removal of all broken glass, keep the following tips in mind:
- Keep a window or door to the outdoors open;
- Vacuum the area where the bulb was broken using the vacuum hose, if available, and
- Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister) and seal the bag/vacuum debris, and any materials used to clean the vacuum, in a plastic bag.
- Promptly place all bulb debris and cleanup materials, including vacuum cleaner bags, outdoors in a trash container or protected area until materials can be disposed of properly.
- Check with your local or state government about disposal requirements in your area. Some states and communities require fluorescent bulbs (broken or unbroken) be taken to a local recycling center.
- Wash your hands with soap and water after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing bulb debris and cleanup materials.
- Continue to air out the room where the bulb was broken and leave the H&AC system shut off, as practical, for several hours.
Future Cleaning of Carpeting or Rugs: Air Out the Room During and After Vacuuming
- The next several times you vacuum the rug or carpet, shut off the H&AC system if you have one, close the doors to other rooms, and open a window or door to the outside before vacuuming. Change the vacuum bag after each use in this area.
- After vacuuming is completed, keep the H&AC system shut off and the window or door to the outside open, as practical, for several hours.
actions You Can Take to Prevent Broken Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs
Fluorescent bulbs are made of glass and can break if dropped or roughly handled. To avoid breaking a bulb, follow these general practices:
- Always switch off and allow a working CFL bulb to cool before handling.
- Always handle CFL bulbs carefully to avoid breakage.
- If possible, screw/unscrew the CFL by holding the plastic or ceramic base, not the glass tubing.
- Gently screw in the CFL until snug. Do not over-tighten.
- Never forcefully twist the glass tubing.
- Consider not using CFLs in lamps that can be easily knocked over, in unprotected light fixtures, or in lamps that are incompatible with the spiral or folded shape of many CFLs.
- Do not use CFL bulbs in locations where they can easily be broken, such as play spaces.
- Use CFL bulbs that have a glass or plastic cover over the spiral or folded glass tube, if available. These types of bulbs look more like incandescent bulbs and may be more durable if dropped.
- Consider using a drop cloth (e.g., plastic sheet or beach towel) when changing a fluorescent light bulb in case a breakage should occur. The drop cloth will help prevent mercury contamination of nearby surfaces and can be bundled with the bulb debris for disposal.
We recommend you simply know what going on and plan accordingly this could be simply adding a section on “How to Properly Dispose Mercury Filled Light Bulbs” in your current employee handbook or changing out your existing bulbs with energy-efficient, mercury-free, 100% recyclable LED lamps
Show Me the Money
If you are interested in replacing your existing lamps with energy-efficient LED lamps there are several stat and Federal incentives available. These incentives help offset your investment. See the following Links for more information.
Louisiana Department of Natural Resources
There are many reasons it makes good business sense to invest in LED lamps.
- Improving the Bottom Line
- Lower fixed cost
- High Return on investment
- Protection Form Potential Frivolous Law Suits
- Excellent Light Quality
- Value of a Green Brand Image
- Federal & state Tax incentives
- Save Money (worth mentioning again)
