What If Cfl Light Bulb Breaks

Content from a broken light bulb apparently results in a wide overestimation of air concentrations of hg over time.

What if cfl light bulb breaks.

Cfls and the other light bulbs listed above contain a small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing. Do not use a vacuum cleaner to clean up the breakage. But the danger can be minimized if you act quickly and follow a proper cleanup process. When a fluorescent bulb breaks in your home some of this mercury is released as mercury vapor.

The broken bulb can continue to release mercury vapor until it is cleaned up and removed from the residence. This cleanup guidance represents minimum recommended actions to reduce mercury exposure and will be updated as more efficient practices are identified. The broken bulb can continue to release mercury vapor until it is cleaned up and removed. Cfls contain mercury a potentially dangerous substance that escapes from broken cfls into the immediate surroundings and therefore the breakage of a cfl bulb should be handled by carefully.

Around the world governments have passed measures to phase out incandescent light bulbs in favor of the more energy efficient cfls. A broken cfl bulb can be dangerous especially for younger kids. To minimize exposure to mercury vapor epa recommends that residents follow the cleanup and disposal steps described below. If you break a thermometer you think may contain mercury call immediately to report the spill.

Get everyone out especially pets who might be inclined to investigate the mess then open the windows and. As soon as that bulb breaks you ll want to let the room air out for about 15 minutes. Under the same assumptions the electricity required to power a 60 watt incandescent bulb for its lifetime would release about 4 4 milligrams of mercury into the atmosphere dwarfing the impact of cfls with respect to the nation s overall mercury footprint. 18 ways to save on your utility costs.

It s true that cfl bulbs do contain a small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing and it can be released as vapor after a breakage. When a bulb breaks in your home some of this mercury may be released as mercury vapor. What if one breaks. Fluorescent light bulbs contain a small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing.

To minimize exposure to mercury vapor epa recommends that residents follow the cleanup and disposal steps described on this page. Indeed most of the released hg may re condense due to the low volatility of hg. Even if a cfl breaks total emissions are only about 1 4 milligrams.