The CFL mercury nightmare [break a compact fluorescent, face $2000 in cleanup costs]

As I suspected, the author is attempting to scare people.

From the article:

"The DEP sent a specialist to Bridges' house to test for mercury contamination. The specialist found mercury levels in the bedroom in excess of six times the state's "safe" level for mercury contamination of 300 billionths of a gram per cubic meter. The DEP specialist recommended that Bridges call an environmental cleanup firm, which reportedly gave her a "low-ball" estimate of US$2,000 to clean up the room. The room then was sealed off with plastic and Bridges began "gathering finances" to pay for the US$2,000 cleaning. Reportedly, her insurance company wouldn't cover the cleanup costs because mercury is a pollutant."

It sounds more like the states DEP Specialist, together with the Eviromental firm is trying to scare people.

I would put my broken bulb fragments in the trash can of the state’s DEP Specialist. Let her/him deal with it.

What the author of the article seems to point out, even though it's not entirely clear, is that once the bulb breaks, there is a legal responsibility that prevents handling it in any other way than the way the state dictates.

At a minimum (even if the above is not true) there is a warning here, a warning that any reasonable person would heed in today’s environment. When any of these bulbs break, a chain of events begin that carry a legal disaster with it.

Does the person rent the apartment? When they move out, what legal responsibility do they have to notify the landlord of a one-time broken bulb? What legal responsibility does this landlord have to either clean it according to EPA guidelines, or at least provide and warning to the next tenant?

Does the person own the home? When they go to sell, what legal responsibility do they have to the Realtor who is listing the house? To the potential buyer?

Before you go poo poo, let me tell you about the latest scam that is in the real estate market, RADON. As a builder, I am VERY familiar with it. Each buyer has every new house tested for radon gas. Their Realtor tells them too. Here in CO radon is pervasive. So are the vultures that swoop around waiting for a radon test that's deemed too high.

Once those vultures dig their claws into me, they will not let go for less than $1,000, and usually it's $1,500 - $2,000. That's to 'fix' a 'problem' similar to the broken light bulb in the story, and has to be built into the price of the house.

I don't have enough money to use these bulbs in my house. Someday, maybe when I'm extremely wealthy.............. In the meantime, I’ll light my house the way any frugal, smart man would, incandescent.

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