What If Cfl Light Bulb Breaks

Around the world governments have passed measures to phase out incandescent light bulbs in favor of the more energy efficient cfls.

What if cfl light bulb breaks.

Get everyone out especially pets who might be inclined to investigate the mess then open the windows and. If you break a thermometer you think may contain mercury call immediately to report the spill. A broken cfl bulb can be dangerous especially for younger kids. Content from a broken light bulb apparently results in a wide overestimation of air concentrations of hg over time.

Do not use a vacuum cleaner to clean up the breakage. Indeed most of the released hg may re condense due to the low volatility of hg. For more information about the dangers of mercury please visit the epa s website. Cfls and the other light bulbs listed above contain a small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing.

To minimize exposure to mercury vapor epa recommends that residents follow the cleanup and disposal steps described below. When a bulb breaks in your home some of this mercury may be released as mercury vapor. It s true that cfl bulbs do contain a small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing and it can be released as vapor after a breakage. This cleanup guidance represents minimum recommended actions to reduce mercury exposure and will be updated as more efficient practices are identified.

As soon as that bulb breaks you ll want to let the room air out for about 15 minutes. The broken bulb can continue to release mercury vapor until it is cleaned up and removed from the residence. Cfls contain mercury a potentially dangerous substance that escapes from broken cfls into the immediate surroundings and therefore the breakage of a cfl bulb should be handled by carefully. Under the same assumptions the electricity required to power a 60 watt incandescent bulb for its lifetime would release about 4 4 milligrams of mercury into the atmosphere dwarfing the impact of cfls with respect to the nation s overall mercury footprint.

What if one breaks. When a fluorescent bulb breaks in your home some of this mercury is released as mercury vapor. The broken bulb can continue to release mercury vapor until it is cleaned up and removed. Fluorescent light bulbs contain a small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing.

If you break a cfl or other fluorescent bulb follow the instructions below to keep your family home and environment safe from toxic mercury. To minimize exposure to mercury vapor epa recommends that residents follow the cleanup and disposal steps described on this page. Measured data suggest that a broken cfl may.