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Not only are they a hazard to clean up and not that eco-friendly, those CFL bulbs can cause skin cancer.
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 Originally Posted by NeedKarma
At Stony Brook’s Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center (AERTC), the team took the same bulbs and studied the effects of exposure on healthy human skin tissue cells, including: fibroblasts, a type of cell found in connective tissue that produces collagen; and keratinocytes, an epidermal cell that produces keratin, the key structural material in the outer layer of human skin. Tests were repeated with incandescent light bulbs of the same intensity and with the introduction of Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles, which are found in personal care products normally used for UV absorption.
“Our study revealed that the response of healthy skin cells to UV emitted from CFL bulbs is consistent with damage from ultraviolet radiation,” said Professor Rafailovich. “Skin cell damage was further enhanced when low dosages of TiO2 nanoparticles were introduced to the skin cells prior to exposure.” Rafailovich added that incandescent light of the same intensity had no effect on healthy skin cells, with or without the presence of TiO2. “Despite their large energy savings, consumers should be careful when using compact fluorescent light bulbs,” said Professor Rafailovich. “Our research shows that it is best to avoid using them at close distances and that they are safest when placed behind an additional glass cover.” |
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Yea I love science and I'm smart enough to read the articles without knee-jerking. Apparently a glass cover (which most bulb use situations use) kills the risk. Wow, that's pretty intense stuff. It's the same as saying put on sunscreen on bare skin when in the bright sunlight... except in this case they don't mention any damaging results.
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Originally Posted by speechlesstx
Here Is a simple Do it yourself clean up of a broken bulb : 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 |
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No problem.
Recycling and Disposal After a CFL Burns Out EPA recommends that consumers take advantage of available local options for recycling CFLs, fluorescent bulbs and other bulbs that contain mercury, and all other household hazardous wastes, rather than disposing of them in regular household trash. Why is Recycling CFLs Important? Recycling prevents the release of mercury into the environment. CFLs and other fluorescent bulbs often break when thrown into a dumpster, trash can or compactor, or when they end up in a landfill or incinerator. Learn more about CFLs and mercury. Other materials in the bulbs get reused. Recycling CFLs and other fluorescent bulbs allows the reuse of the glass, metals and other materials that make up fluorescent lights. Virtually all components of a fluorescent bulb can be recycled. Your area may require recycling. Some states and local jurisdictions have more stringent regulations than U.S. EPA does, and may require that you recycle CFLs and other mercury-containing light bulbs. California, Maine, New Hampshire (PDF), Minnesota, Vermont and Massachusetts Exit EPA Disclaimer , for example, all prohibit mercury-containing lamps from being discarded into landfills. Visit Earth911.com Exit EPA Disclaimer to contact your local waste collection agency, which can tell you if such requirement exists in your state or locality. How and Where Can I Recycle CFLs? Waste collection agencies Local retailers Mail-back services ► Contact your local waste collection agency Visit Earth911.com Exit EPA Disclaimer to find collection schedules in your area or drop-off locations if curbside collections are not available. Note that waste collection agencies: provide services that are usually free, though some may charge a small fee. sometimes collect household hazardous wastes only once or twice a year, so residents will have to hold on to their light bulbs until the collection takes place. Other collection agencies provide collection services throughout the year. may also collect paints, pesticides, cleaning supplies or batteries. usually accept waste only from residents, although some collection programs include small businesses as well. ► Visit your local retailers Many hardware supply stores and other retailers offer in-store recycling. Visit Earth911.com Exit EPA Disclaimer to find stores in your area or check the list below. Make sure you check directly with the store before you go; not all stores in regional or nationwide chains may be equipped to recycle. Ace Hardware store locator Aubuchon Hardware store locations Bartell Drugs Home Depot’s CFL recycling program IKEA store locations Lowe's recycling program and store locator Menards store locator Orchard Supply store locator TrueValue store locator Retail and other locations in certain counties and states: Dane County, Wisconsin Massachusetts Minnesota (PDF) City of Napa and southern Napa County, California San Francisco, California San Mateo County, California Vermont ► Find out about mail-back services Some bulb manufacturers and other organizations sell pre-labeled recycling kits that allow you to mail used bulbs to recycling centers. The cost of each kit includes shipping charges to the recycling center. You fill up a kit with old bulbs, seal it, and bring it to the post office or leave for your postal carrier. Websites that provide more information about mail-back services BakPak Mail-Back Recycling (NLR, Inc.) EasyPak from Lamprecycling.com (AirCycle) EcoLights EverLights, Inc. Heritage Lifecycle Mailback Services Lampmaster Osram Sylvania RecycleKits from AERC Recycling Solutions RecyclePak from Veolia Environmental Services Simple Cycle (Lamp Environment Industries, Inc.) Think Green From Home (Waste Management Inc.) WasteSecure (Universal Recycling Technologies, LLC) What If I Can't Recycle? If your state or local environmental regulatory agency permits you to put used or broken CFLs in the regular household trash, seal the bulb in a plastic bag and put it into the outside trash for the next normal trash collection. |
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