compact fluorescent lamp warning.

by BrentR 15 Replies latest social family

• 

  BrentR

  There are probably alot of us using the small spiral shaped compact fluorescent lamps in our houses. I did not realize they have mercury in them and can be a bit of problem if one breaks. It is also illegal to dispose of them in our regular garbage cans. The dust is a health threat to sanitation workers and the mercury will leach into ground water and streams.

  The ones I tried all burnt out within a month so I no longer use them.

  This lady is facing a $2000 clean up bill after breaking one in her daughters bedroom.

  Fluorescent Bulb Break Creates Costly Hassle

  Written by Nick Gosling

  Thursday, April 12, 2007

  PROSPECT — It was just like any other Tuesday. One month later, though, Bridges is paying much more than she had ever expected to. On that Tuesday, Bridges was installing one of the spiral-shaped light bulbs in her 7-year-old daughter’s bedroom. Suddenly, the bulb plummeted to the floor, breaking on the shag carpet. Bridges, who was wary of the dangers of cleaning up a fluorescent bulb, called The Home Depot where she purchased them. She was told that the bulbs had mercury in them and that she should not vacuum the area where the bulb had broken. Bridges was directed to call the Poison Control hotline. Poison Control directed her to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Environmental Protection. Upon reaching the DEP the next day, the agency offered to send a specialist out to Bridges’ house to test the air levels. The specialist arrived soon after the phone conversation and began testing the downstairs, where he found safe levels of mercury — below the state’s limit of 300 ng/m3 (nanograms per cubic meter). In the daughter’s bedroom, the levels remained well below the 300 mark, except for near the carpet where the bulb broke. There the mercury levels spiked to 1,939 ng/m3. On a bag of toys that bulb fragments had landed on, the levels of mercury were 556 ng/m3. Bridges was told by the specialist not to clean up the bulb and mercury powder by herself. He recommended the Clean Harbors Environmental Services branch in Hampden. Clean Harbors gave Bridges a low-ball estimate of $2,000, based on what she described, to clean up the room properly. The work entailed removing anything with levels greater than 300 ng/m3, including the carpeting. The articel is very long so to read the rest of it here is the link: http://ellsworthmaine.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7446&Itemid=31 It goes on to tell about the conflicting info she is getting about how to safely clean her daughters room.
• 

  yesidid

  Thanks for that Brent.

  Most people don't know or understand the dangers of fluorescent lighting.

  .Apart from the mercury problem they give many people headaches.

  .
• 

  found-my-way

  I always felt kind of guilty because I like using incandescent bulbs....the light is so much more pleasant and soothing to the eye.

  I DETESTED the kingdumb halls fluorescent lighting...my head would ache and my eyes would be burning afterwards.

  Glad I dont go anymore
• 

  IP_SEC

  I'd be dead by now as many of those things as I've broken and cleaned up. That is a ridiculous fiasco for one lightbulb.
• 

  found-my-way

  I think you're ok, IP_SEC,

  http://www.calpoison.org/public/mercury.html

  How do I clean up a spill from a broken thermometer?

  Before beginning the clean up, change into old clothes and shoes that can be thrown away if they get contaminated with mercury. NOTE: If you are wearing gold jewelry, either remove the jewelry or wear good protective gloves. If the liquid mercury contacts the gold jewelry, the mercury bonds permanently to the gold and ruins it. Wearing gloves is a good idea to prevent mercury from lodging under the fingernails while cleaning.

  1. Increase ventilation in the room with outside air and close the room off from the rest of the house. If available, use fans for at least one hour to help ventilate the room.
  2. Pick up the mercury with an eyedropper or scoop up beads with a piece of heavy paper (e.g., playing cards, index cards).
  3. Wide sticky tape such as duct tape can also be used to pick up any glass particles and mercury beads.
  4. Powdered sulfur (which can be purchased at garden supply stores) can be used to bind any remaining mercury. When the sulfur combines with mercury the sulfur turns from the usual yellow color to brown. Continue to use sulfur until there is no longer a color change. Keep in mind that sulfur can be irritating to the skin, nose, throat and eyes. Sulfur may also stain fabrics.
  5. Place the mercury, contaminated instruments (dropper/heavy paper) and any broken glass in a plastic zipper bag. Place this zipper bag in a second zipper bag and then in a third zipper bag (triple bag), tightly sealing each bag with tape. Place the bags in a wide-mouth, sealable plastic container.
  6. Throw away everything that may have been exposed to the mercury including towels, bedding, clothes if they were contaminated.
  7. Call your local health department for the nearest approved mercury disposal location. If disposal at such a location is not possible, dispose of the plastic container according to state and local requirements.
  8. If weather permits, leave windows open for approximately two days to make sure the area is completely ventilated.
  9. Wash hands very well with soap and water afterwards. Shower well if you think any mercury touched other parts of your body.
• 

  BrentR

  There are a couple companies that are developing CFL's that are mercury free but it will be a while before they hit the stores. I put them in just because I hated changing lightbulbs and wanted to reduce my power bill. Turns out they burnt out faster then incandecent ones did so I never used them again.

  The mercury in CFL's is in the coating and when they break they implode thus releasing mercury dust particulates. That is far more dangerous then the mercury in thermometers.
• 

  SacrificialLoon

  I've had one in a table lamp for several years now and it's still going strong. CFs release less mercury into the environment than an incandescent bulb if you get your electricity from a coal plant. Coal fired power plants are the biggest source of mercury as a pollutant.
• 

  Brother Apostate

  All I can think of is how many flourescents I used to smash on other guys, and on each other, when I was a youngster, ala the flourescent bulb fight scene on "The 40 Year old virgin".

  BA- Still here, no probs.

  PS- You'd think the gal had released plutonium or something, too funnyt! Can anyone say "OVER REACTION", ROTFLMAO!!!
• 

  PEC

  There is more mercury released into the enviroment from the power plant generating the electricity to run your incandescent bulb, than in the fluorescent bulb.

  I have compact fluorescent bulbs that bought in the late 1980s that are still in daily use.

  Philip
• 

  ballistic

  Fluorescent Bulb Break Creates Costly Hassle

  Written by Nick Gosling

  Thursday, April 12, 2007

  PROSPECT — It was just like any other Tuesday. One month later, though, Bridges is paying much more than she had ever expected to. On that Tuesday, the [dozey cow] was installing one of the spiral-shaped light bulbs in her 7-year-old daughter’s bedroom. Suddenly, the bulb plummeted to the floor, breaking on the shag carpet. Bridges, who was [paranoid] of the dangers of cleaning up a fluorescent bulb, called The Home Depot where she purchased them. [in a major panic] She was told that the bulbs had mercury in them and that she should not vacuum the area where the bulb had broken {but should raise DEFCON to level 2]. Bridges was directed to call the Poison Control hotline. [to waste somebody else's time] Poison Control directed her to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Environmental Protection. [to see if they knew how to deal with traumatised neurotics] Upon reaching the DEP the next day, the agency offered to send a specialist out to Bridges’ house to test the air levels [someone to humour her]. The specialist arrived soon after the phone conversation and began testing the downstairs, where he found safe levels of mercury — below the state’s limit of 300 ng/m3 (nanograms per cubic meter) [as he wondered - "how many people does it take to change a light bulb?]. In the daughter’s bedroom, the levels remained well below the 300 mark, except for near the carpet where the bulb broke [still was]. There the mercury levels spiked to 1,939 ng/m3 [wow I bet she hasn't even bothered to clean up the light bulb that contains mercury?]. On a bag of toys that bulb fragments had landed on [were still on], the levels of mercury were 556 ng/m3. Bridges was told by the specialist not to clean up the bulb and mercury powder by herself. He recommended the Clean Harbors Environmental Services branch in Hampden.[ and call the Thunderbirds] Clean Harbors gave Bridges a low-ball estimate of $2,000, based on what she described, [and the fact she looked like an idiot] to clean up the room properly [hadn't been done for years]. The work entailed removing anything with levels greater than 300 ng/m3, including the carpeting. [and all the other hazordous materials in the vacinity]...