Comments on: what to do about a broken CFL, learned the hard way

By: linky lurve « elle recherche

linky lurve « elle recherche — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 20:40:59 +0000

[...] been wondering if it’s time to switch to cfl lights….this post gives me pause, however. i’m a colossal klutz and i’ve got a dog and a cat who both [...]

By: Bob

Bob — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 22:40:30 +0000

I accidentally broke one of these over my head as well, while the damn thing was turned on no less and in the kitchen. I panicked at first cause "ZOMG CFLs HAVE MERCURY!!!11" but not knowing what else to do I just picked up the glass pieces bare-handed, threw them in the trash and vacuumed up what was left. I threw the busted CFL in the trash too. I then wiped down all the surfaces that were under the bulb when it broke. Then I discover a HAZMAT-like procedure online for properly handling this AFTER I did it wrong.

But after calling the maker of the bulb (TCPI) the woman assured me this: the glass part itself does not contain mercury, but rather the hard plastic base itself! She said it was very unlikely that any mercury would be released and if there was it would be less than the amount you find in 2 cans of tuna. She said clean up like you would any broken incandescent bulb.

By: Janyce

Janyce — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 05:57:08 +0000

There is actually a company out there that do sale Mercury free light bulb and also reduce Electrode Magnetic Field (EMF). I been replacing them in my house and enjoy it very much. It much softer for my eye and don't have that much of a headache. It a little pricing but it worth every penny. You can read about it at xediadirect.com/go-green.

By: Dr. Kate

Dr. Kate — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 15:10:33 +0000

"I don't feel good about buying something that needs to be disposed of as hazardous waste."

Do you buy paint? Hairspray? Batteries? Ant/roach/rat poison/traps? Drive a car? Use a computer? Television? Cell phone?

All of those things are supposed to be disposed of as hazardous wastes. How many people actually do it?

And even when they do the "right" thing and send them in to be recycled...a lot of them end up getting shipped to Mexico or China, where underpaid workers get to strip the mercury, lead, arsenic, whatever right out of them. All day--with no ventilators, gloves, goggles...

This problem is bigger than energy savings and a small inconvenience when a light bulb breaks.

Get informed before you rant... :)

By: chandru

chandru — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 17:02:22 +0000

What utter overreaction to a mundane experience...people have no sense of what's dangerous and what's not, and the EPA just make it worse by their vastly overblown instructions, no doubt written by a cadre of lawyers.

See my complete rant on this issue at website.

By: Checkerspot

Checkerspot — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:36:03 +0000

That must have been so scary! I've never thought about eco-friendly lightbulb mishaps before. Thanks for the information and I'm glad you're alright!

By: Melanie

Melanie — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 10:38:21 +0000

Working in a lighting shop, where we deal with broken fluorescent bulbs every day, I'm a bit concerned about the accumulative effects.
And while the amount of mercury in a bulb is less than that emitted from the power plant, I am not working under the plant, and certainly not directly exposed every day to the mercury. Caution to be used on something, that while it is a great idea, can be dangerous and mercury is linked to such things as autism, alzheimers and asthma. I still have CFL's in every fitting in my house though.

By: Susan M

Susan M — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 15:42:39 +0000

Thanks for the story. My daughter hit a bulb with her basketball and brought the broken piece up to me. I just cleaned the rest up, not knowing anything about the mecury or potential hazards. Both my kids were in the immediate area and I did not have them leave. After all I have read, given she touched the debris, I will get her the blood or urine test for mecury contamination. Horrible trade off in order to use these bulbs. I did not dispose of it properly either, so I have contaminated others and the earth. Nothing was on the package about any of this. A friend sent me a news clips. Exposure was three weeks ago!

By: Laura

Laura — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 20:39:20 +0000

I've been reading on this subject and I'm now sufficiently freaked about CF bulbs and proper disposal. I don't feel good about buying something that needs to be disposed of as hazardous waste. I did stumbled across the "EcoLEDs." Have you heard anything about these? They are super efficient and mercury free. They are also SUPER pricey. Hopefully the price will drop in the near future. We can dream, right?

http://www.ecoleds.com/

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 01:02:49 +0000

Nice. I bumped my head on one and it broke right over me and my two year old. I just grabbed him and ran out of the room, waited for a little, went back and vacuumed it up. I wish I would have know this before, also wish we would have showered right away. He didn't have anything visible on him. I only worry about him.

I took a ball of mercury to my first grade show and tell. I passed it around in a coffee can. I told everyone not to touch it, but some kid did. Funny thing though, no one ever said a word b/c it wasn't really feared then. I wouldn't be happy if that was my kids class!

By: Amy

Amy — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 05:55:08 +0000

I'm with Dana...remembering using mercury thermometers as a child and being warned to be very careful, but it certainly not being the end of the world if one broke.

By: dana

dana — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 16:26:48 +0000

I was just thinking about when I was 9 and I put my thermometer in my tea and the damn thing broke and I was scared I would get in trouble...but I can't remember what I did. Was I really stupid enough to drink the tea? I guess I'm normal enough and lord knows my daughter is as healthy as a horse.

Thanks for the vacuum recommendations. I miss my Kenmore canister vac (bought a Eureka upright to replace the Kenmore when I killed it during renovation, and I HATE it).

By: Maman

Maman — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 16:10:21 +0000

It is elemental mercury and as a result not much of a hazard. Like the stuff in old thermometers.. it is when you start mixing other stuff into mercury and start heating it up or dropping acid on it that mercury gets ugly

By: Kimberly Ann

Kimberly Ann — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:52:18 +0000

Really good information! I had no idea that such clean up would be necessary. I'll definitely only be buying the energy efficient bulbs from now on.

By: liz

liz — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 14:29:41 +0000

I was considering switching, but between the dog and child, I think I'll stick with my regular lightbulbs. If I have to consult the EPA to clean up when I break one (and I dropped a lightbulb the other day when I was cleaning out the cabinet I store them in), I'll pass.