Saturday, April 12, 2008

CFL's - worth it?

How to clean up a fluorescent bulb

Before cleanup: Vent the room
1. Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
2. Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one.
Cleanup steps for hard surfaces
3. 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.
4. Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
5. Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes and place them in the glass jar or plastic bag.
6. Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.

Cleanup steps for carpeting or rug
3. 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.
4. Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
5. If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken.
6. Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic bag.
Disposal of cleanup materials
7. Immediately place all cleanup materials outside the building in a trash container or outdoor protected area for the next normal trash.
8. Wash your hands after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing cleanup materials.
9. Check with your local or state government about disposal requirements in your specific area. Some states prohibit such trash disposal and require that broken and unbroken lamps be taken to a recycling center.

Future cleaning of carpeting or rug
10. For at least the next few times you vacuum, shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system and open a window prior to vacuuming.
11. Keep the central heating/air conditioning system shut off and the window open for at least 15 minutes after vacuuming is completed.

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

get the whole story here http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23694819/

4 comments:

a friend said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
a friend said...

And this is suppose to be better for the environment?!! We need to wake up and express our outrage for this blatant disregard for human health!
Just turning off a light we are not using, saves energy. To help reduce energy consumption we need to pollute the environment with a toxic replacement? This sounds like an oxymoron to me!

EllaJac said...

During one of my less-lucid moments a few years ago, I bought a bunch of these on sale (like $.78/ea)... Hubby wants to be rid of them (and stockpile a semi-trailer full of incandescents for later use), but what to do??? Can't burn 'em, can't just chuck 'em. Send them to Washington DC?

Lynda said...

I know what you mean by not being able to throw them away. Supposedly you should be able to call your city's hazmat office for further instructions.