“They contain mercury. Hard to imagine a more toxic substance. You are supposed to clear the room if you ever break one.”
You forgot to mention that you’re technically supposed to also call for an EPA clean up crew. And yes I’m totally serious.
“...you’re technically supposed to also call for an EPA clean up crew. And yes I’m totally serious.”
Actually, both the EPA and even California’s Waste Management provide do-it-yourself instructions for mercury cleanup:
What to Do if a Fluorescent Light Bulb Breaks
http://www.epa.gov/mercury/spills/index.htm#flourescent
I don’t think any of these EPA instructions are being followed.
California’s instructions are even stricter:
http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/WPIE/FluoresLamps/#CleanBreak
This study suggests that elevated airborne levels of mercury,
exceeding EPA’s reference concentration of 300 ng/m3, can
exist in the vicinity of recently broken bulbs. Potential
occupational exposure may exist for sanitation workers and
employees involved in recycling fluorescent bulbs in the
presence of broken bulb residue.
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/dsr/research/mercury-bulbs.pdf
Maybe you got the EPA info from this article:
“When the bulb she was installing in a ceiling fixture of her 7-year-old daughter’s bedroom crashed to the floor and broke into the shag carpet, she wasn’t sure what to do. Knowing about the danger of mercury, she called Home Depot, the retail outlet that sold her the bulbs.
According to the Ellison American, the store warned her not to vacuum the carpet and directed her to call the poison control hotline in Prospect, Maine. Poison control staffers suggested she call the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.
The latter sent over a specialist to test the air in her house for mercury levels. While the rest of the house was clear, the area of the accident was contaminated above the level considered safe. The specialist warned Bridges not to clean up the bulb and mercury powder by herself – recommending a local environmental cleanup firm.
That company estimated the cleanup cost, conservatively, at $2,000. And, no, her homeowners insurance won’t cover the damage.
Since she could not afford the cleanup, Bridges has been forced to seal off her daughter’s bedroom with plastic to avoid any dust blowing around.”
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/printer-friendly.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55213
http://ellsworthmaine.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7446&Itemid=31
Also:
This study suggests that elevated airborne levels of mercury,
exceeding EPA’s reference concentration of 300 ng/m3, can
exist in the vicinity of recently broken bulbs. Potential
occupational exposure may exist for sanitation workers and
employees involved in recycling fluorescent bulbs in the
presence of broken bulb residue.
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/dsr/research/mercury-bulbs.pdf
“You forgot to mention that you’re technically supposed to also call for an EPA clean up crew. And yes I’m totally serious.”
Yes, in fact, you ARE serious.
http://www.newstarget.com/021916.html