Are Compact Fluorescent Lights Safe
Are Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFL) Safe?
Compact fluorescent lights, or CFLs, use a small amount of mercury to run. But just what is the impact of this mercury use and what do you do, should a CFL break?
Cfl Bulbs
Looking at the complete life-cycle of lights, including the generation of power required to operate them, we see that CFLs are better for you and the environment than incandescent bulbs. Far more mercury is released with the generation of power for incandescent bulbs, than is used in the manufacturing and operation of CFLs, over the course of their working life. Compact fluorescent lights do contain mercury just the same and need to be properly disposed of. All CFLs can be recycled into their component parts of aluminum, calcium phosphate, glass and mercury. Most big-box stores, such as Wal-Mart and Home Depot, now take back CFLs for recycling.
But what do you do, should a CFL break? Since CFLs contain relatively small amounts of mercury, exposure to a breakage is not likely to pose much risk. The mercury from a broken CFL will likely vaporize and disperse from a room within a few hours. It is still wise to minimize potential exposure. The EPA recommends immediately opening windows to reduce volatized mercury concentrations. Don’t touch the mercury when cleaning up, don’t use bare hands and don’t use a vacuum cleaner. Wipe the area with paper towels and place bulb pieces and the paper towels in a sealed plastic bag. Dispose of the bag at a household hazardous waste depot.
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