What happens if you break a compact fluorescent bulb?

What happens if you break a compact fluorescent bulb?

Despite some alarming news reports, you don’t have much to worry about. If a CFL breaks, some of the mercury that’s contained in the bulb will evaporate into the air.

What to do if I broke a fluorescent bulb?

Shut off the air-conditioning or heating system. Wipe up the broken glass and powder, seal them in a container and dispose of them. Check with your local government about disposal requirements. Some communities require that trashed fluorescent bulbs (broken or unbroken) be taken to a local recycling center.

Is breaking a fluorescent light bulb dangerous?

Potential Risks While the amount of mercury used in an individual fluorescent bulb has decreased in recent years, one broken 4-foot fluorescent lamp in a small room or vehicle can release enough mercury vapor to exceed the OSHA 8-hour limit, posing a significant occupational health risk.

How do you dispose of compact fluorescent light bulbs?

The EPA recommends that you bring old CFLs to qualified recyclers, rather than disposing of them in trash cans or curbside recycling bins. You can bring old CFLs to The Home Depot for free recycling. Visit the Eco Options website to learn more. If you’re concerned about the mercury content in CFLs, consider LED bulbs.

Are compact fluorescent bulbs being phased out?

Now CFLs, or compact fluorescent lamps, are slowly disappearing from stores. Home retailer IKEA stopped selling them in all its locations last year, and now manufacturer GE has penned a cheeky Dear John letter to the technology, saying it will stop making the bulbs in the United States.

Can you still buy compact fluorescent bulbs?

Monday morning, General Electric announced it will phase out the sale of compact fluorescent lightbulbs, the standard inexpensive option for the environmentally conscious. Instead, the company will give prominence to the LED, or light-emitting diode, bulbs – a better quality and more energy-efficient cousin of the CFL.

Are fluorescent lights obsolete?

US Department of Energy (DOE) regulations began phasing out various sizes of commercial fluorescent light bulbs in 2012. About all you can get today is the fluorescent workhorse of commercial lighting—the T81 bulb. By January 26, 2018 even T8s will be banned to align with new DOE energy efficiency standards.

How do you dispose of 4 foot fluorescent tubes?

Place a broken fluorescent light tube in a resealable plastic bag. Place that bag inside another resealable plastic bag and dispose of the light tube in your household trash. If the 4-foot long tube will not fit inside a resealable plastic bag, double-bag it in plastic garbage bags and tie them off tightly.