Cleaning Up A Broken CFL

[Wild Bill]

I just had my first serious mishap with CFL's and thought I should share. I had never thought about what would happen if one broke, but now I know.

One broke and sprinkled mercury dust all over my ready to flower White Widow.

Needless to say she had to go in the trash. I'm dull witted enough without having to smoke mercury.

Here is how the EPA says to clean up after a broken CFL.

I hope this keeps someone else from having the same problem I had.



Cleaning Up a Broken CFL

Before Cleanup

1. Have people and pets leave the room, and avoid the breakage area on the way out.
2. Open a window or door to the outdoors and leave the room for 5-10 minutes.
3. Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning (H&AC) system, if you have one.
4. 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

1. 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.)
2. 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.
3. Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place the towels in the glass jar or plastic bag.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Wash your hands with soap and water after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing bulb debris and cleanup materials.
7. 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

1. 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.)
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Wash your hands with soap and water after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing bulb debris and cleanup materials.
6. 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

1. 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.
2. 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.
   

Why is it important to clean up a broken CFL properly?

CFLs and other fluorescent light bulbs contain a small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing. When a fluorescent bulb breaks in your home, some of this mercury is released as mercury vapor. To minimize exposure to mercury vapor, EPA recommends that residents follow the cleanup and disposal steps described on this page.


What if I can't follow all the recommended steps? or I cleaned up a CFL but didn't do it properly?

Don't be alarmed; these steps are only precautions that reflect best practices for cleaning up a broken CFL. Keep in mind that CFLs contain a very small amount of mercury -- less than 1/100th of the amount in a mercury thermometer.
However, if you are concerned about the risk to your health from a potential exposure to mercury, consult your physician.

 

[hornedfrog2000]

I normally taste the white stuff to make sure it is a CFL first.

 

[missnu]

I have always just used a broom...

 

[missnu]

I have never even thought about...good thing this isn't too big o a deal..damn I'm lucky to still be alive...too much shit out there waiting to attack when you least expect it...

 

[Catchin22]

I don't think there's any mercury dust. It's the coating that you saw, it's mercury vapor. You should have just rinsed your plant off well and kept it, it would have been fine. The EPA usually takes the biggest extreme with these things just to er on the side of caution. If you let a drop of oil hit your driveway and told the EPA they would probably show up in a hazmat suite

 

[Becorath]

I don't think there's any mercury dust. It's the coating that you saw, it's mercury vapor. You should have just rinsed your plant off well and kept it, it would have been fine. The EPA usually takes the biggest extreme with these things just to er on the side of caution. If you let a drop of oil hit your driveway and told the EPA they would probably show up in a hazmat suite

QFT

This is a "Best Practice" clean up procedure. There are "Proper" ways to clean up fluros, but the EPA allows them to be disposed of in household waste. So, that tells you there really isn't anything to worry about.

 

[Rottedroots]

It's a lot of fuss about not so much. Very little mercury in the CFL's to start with. It's like eating a fresh water fish dinner. Hell, we have lakes around here with so much mercury in the fish you can tell the ambient temp just by looking at them. It is sad how they can sell the bulbs as being so "green" but then require a Hazmat suit for clean-up. LOL. I would have hosed that baby down well and kept her thats for sure. At the very least I could have sold it to close friends. I know your better safe than sorry budski but that down right hurts!!

frog.. snorting is a more accurate way to determine the mercury content of the powder. The glass sucks though and burns like draino!!

 

[Catchin22]

Hell, we have lakes around here with so much mercury in the fish you can tell the ambient temp just by looking at them.

I laughed.

 

[zo0t]

i gather all the white powder make a fat line and snort it ! iz da best way to klean bkuz if ya broom da tiny dust partiklez will depozitatenated on da plant then it will glow in da dark n u dont want dat

 

[silverserf]

I think it's the mercury vapour that's the real danger....which is why breaking them in sealed grow rooms is great. You should seal all the doors, shutdown the fans, take 20-50 deep breaths, put a plastic bag over your head, and wait for the stone to kick in.....