M & M Lighting Supply

Because CFL's contain a small amount of mercury, EPA recomends the following clean-up and disposal guidelines:           

1. Before Clean-up: Ventilate 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 a 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.

   Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes and place them in the glass jar or plastic bag.

   Do not use 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 discarded.  Do not wash such clothing or bedding because the 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 happened to be 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 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 are for the next normal trash pickup.

  Wash your hands after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing cleanup materials.

  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 mercury-containing bulbs be taken to a local recycling center,