[Nfbf-l] how to clena up a broken florescent lightbulb

[Sherri]

I saw this message and found it very informative.

Sherri

From: NICOLE HUGUES [mailto:blindnikki at aol.com]
Sent: Saturday, August 10, 2013 8:31 PM
Subject: how to clean up a broken floruascent light bulb

hi all,
I had received this info from my Hadley cource entitled safety in the home.
How should I clean up a broken fluorescent bulb?
Because CFLs contain a small amount of mercury, EPA recommends the following 
clean-up and disposal guidelines:
1. Before Clean-up: Air Out the Room
Have people and pets leave the room, and don't let anyone walk through the 
breakage area on their way out.
Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system, if you have 
one.
2. Clean-Up Steps for Hard Surfaces
Carefully scoop up glass fragments and powder using stiff paper or cardboard 
and  place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in 
a sealed  plastic bag.
Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass 
pieces  and powder.
Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes.
Place towels  in the glass jar or plastic bag.
Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.
3. Clean-up Steps for Carpeting or Rug:
Carefully pick up glass fragments and place them in a glass jar with metal 
lid  (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass 
fragments and powder.
If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the 
area  where the bulb was broken.
Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or 
vacuum debris in a sealed plastic bag.
4. Clean-up Steps for Clothing, Bedding, etc.:
If clothing or bedding materials come in direct contact with broken glass or 
mercury-containing powder from inside the bulb that may stick to the fabric, 
the  clothing or bedding should be thrown away. Do not wash such clothing or 
bedding  because mercury fragments in the clothing may contaminate the 
machine and/or  pollute sewage.
You can, however, wash clothing or other materials that have been exposed to 
the  mercury vapor from a broken CFL, such as the clothing you are wearing 
when you  cleaned up the broken CFL, as long as that clothing has not come 
into direct  contact with the materials from the broken bulb.
If shoes come into direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing 
powder  from the bulb, wipe them off with damp paper towels or disposable 
wet wipes.  Place the towels or wipes in a glass jar or plastic bag for 
disposal.
5. Disposal of Clean-up Materials
Immediately place all clean-up materials outdoors in a trash container or 
protected area for the next normal trash pickup.
Wash your hands after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing 
clean-up  materials.
Check with your local or state government about disposal requirements in 
your  specific area. Some states do not allow such trash disposal.
Instead, they  require that broken and unbroken mercury-containing bulbs be 
taken to a local  recycling center.
6. Future Cleaning of Carpeting or Rug: Air Out the Room During and After 
Vacuuming The next several times you vacuum, shut off the central forced-air 
heating/air  conditioning system and open a window before vacuuming.
Keep the central heating/air conditioning system shut off and the window 
open  for at least 15 minutes after vacuuming is completed.
For more information about compact fluorescent bulbs, visit 
http://www.energystar.gov/cfls