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Emily Locklear

Mercury Releases and Spills | Mercury | US EPA - 4 views

epa.gov/spills

cfl

shared by Emily Locklear on 22 Nov 11 - No Cached
  • can prevent potential mercury exposure to you and your environment by: storing and handling responsibly products that contain mercury; following our tips when cleaning up mercury spills; and recycling or otherwise properly disposing of products that contain mercury. Cleaning Up Spills What never to do after a mercury spill What to do if a thermometer breaks Other mercury spills
  • More than the amount in a thermometer, but less than one pound, which is about two tablespoons More than two tablespoons (one pound
  • Hazardous Waste Site Cleanup Cleaning up Superfund and other hazardous waste sites where mercury is present Mercury Response Guidebook (for emergency responders)
  • ...21 more annotations...
  • Never use a vacuum cleaner to clean up mercury. The vacuum will put mercury into the air and increase exposure. Never use a broom to clean up mercury. It will break the mercury into smaller droplets and spread them. Never pour mercury down a drain. It may lodge in the plumbing and cause future problems during plumbing repairs. If discharged, it can cause pollution of the septic tank or sewage treatment plant.
  • Never wash clothing or other items that have come in direct contact with mercury in a washing machine, because mercury may contaminate the machine and/or pollute sewage. Clothing that has come into direct contact with mercury should be discarded. By "direct contact," we mean that mercury was (or has been) spilled directly on the clothing, for example, if you break a mercury thermometer and some of elemental mercury beads came in contact with your clothing. Never walk around if your shoes might be contaminated with mercury. Contaminated clothing can also spread mercury around.
  • NOTE: these instructions also apply to spills from other sources, if the amount spilled is less than or similar to the amount in a thermometer (see specific information about how to clean up broken fluorescent bulbs)
  • Put on rubber, nitrile or latex gloves.
  • If there are any broken pieces of glass or sharp objects, pick them up with care. Place all broken objects on a paper towel. Fold the paper towel and place in a zip lock bag. Secure the bag and label it as directed by your local health or fire department.
  • Locate visible mercury beads. Use a squeegee or cardboard to gather mercury beads. Use slow sweeping motions to keep mercury from becoming uncontrollable. Take a flashlight, hold it at a low angle close to the floor in a darkened room and look for additional glistening beads of mercury that may be sticking to the surface or in small cracked areas of the surface. Note: Mercury can move surprising distances on hard-flat surfaces, so be sure to inspect the entire room when "searching."
  • Use the eyedropper to collect or draw up the mercury beads. Slowly and carefully squeeze mercury onto a damp paper towel. Place the paper towel in a zip lock bag and secure. Make sure to label the bag as directed by your local health or fire department
  • it makes the mercury easier to see since there may be a color change from yellow to brown and (2) it binds the mercury so that it can be easily removed and suppresses the vapor of any missing mercury. Where to get commercialized sulfur? It may be supplied as mercury vapor absorbent in mercury spill kits, which can be purchased from laboratory, chemical supply and hazardous materials response supply manufacturers
  • OPTIONAL STEP: It is OPTIONAL to use commercially available powdered sulfur to absorb the beads that are too small to see. The sulfur does two things: (1
  • Alternatively, use duct tape to collect smaller hard-to-see beads. Place the paint brush or duct tape in a zip lock bag and secure. Make sure to label the bag
  • as directed by your local health or fire department.
  • After you remove larger beads, put shaving cream on top of small paint brush and gently "dot" the affected area to pick up smaller hard-to-see beads.
  • Note: Powdered sulfur may stain fabrics a dark color. When using powdered sulfur, do not breathe in the powder as it can be moderately toxic. Additionally, users should read and understand product information before use.
  • If you choose not to use this option, you may want to request the services of a contractor who has monitoring equipment to screen for mercury vapors. Consult your local environmental or health agency to inquire about contractors in your area. Place all materials used with the cleanup, including gloves, in a trash bag. Place all mercury beads and objects into the trash bag. Secure trash bag and label it as directed by your local health or fire department.
  • Contact your local health department, municipal waste authority or your local fire department for proper disposal in accordance with local, state and federal laws.
  • Cleanup Instructions 1. Have everyone else leave the area; don't let anyone walk through the mercury on their way out.2. Open all windows and doors to the outside.3. Turn down the temperature.4. Shut all doors to other parts of the house, and leave the area.Don't vacuum.5. Call your local or state health or environmental agency. Top of page
  • site cleanups of active facilities or abandoned hazardous waste sites, mercury presents significant environmental challenges because it is difficult to treat, exists in many different forms, is volatile, and can be difficult to analyze. Some mercury contamination sites are also contaminated with oils, radioactive materials and organic compounds that present technical challenges.
  • Cleaning up mercury
  • Cleaning Up Superfund and Other Hazardous Waste Sites Where Mercury is Present
  • Conte
  • 1. 4-5 ziplock-type bags2. trash bags (2 to 6 mils thick)3. rubber, nitrile or latex gloves4. paper towels5. cardboard or squeegee6. eyedropper7. duct tape, or shaving cream and small paint brush8. flashlight9. powdered sulfur (optional
Hannah Smith

Ask TreeHugger: Is Mercury from a Broken CFL Dangerous? : TreeHugger - 8 views

www.treehugger.com/...om-a-broken-cfl-dangerous.html

cfl

shared by Hannah Smith on 22 Nov 11 - No Cached
  • real horror stories about people who have broken the bulbs in their homes which has resulted in thousands of dollars worth of
  • cleanup to remove the mercury.
  • : There has recently been some concern over the possibility that
  • ...30 more annotations...
  • broken CFLs can be an important source of exposures to mercury, a toxic
  • metal and a key component of compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs).
  • Although
  • mercury is a toxic pollutant, mercury exposures from broken CFLs are not likely to harm you and your family
  • key component of compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs
  • amount and duration of your exposures and the specific type of mercury that you are exposed to
    • Cheyanne Strong
      Cheyanne Strong on 23 Nov 11
       
      hey u guys please post back um lets talk over the long weekend maybe um wed. or sat. or sun. any of hese r fin wid me
  • This is due to several factors, including the
  • Once spilled, you can be exposed to elemental mercury by touching
  • it, after which it can be eaten and/or absorbed through your skin.
    • Cheyanne Strong
      Cheyanne Strong on 22 Nov 11
       
      Emily-pink CHeyanne-green Hannah-blue
    • Emily Locklear
      Emily Locklear on 22 Nov 11
       
      stick to the color code yall
    • Cheyanne Strong
      Cheyanne Strong on 23 Nov 11
       
      kk
    • Hannah Smith
      Hannah Smith on 30 Nov 11
       
      k
  • More importantly for health
  • CFL containing 5 mg of mercury breaks in your child’s bedroom that has a volume of about 25 m3 (which corresponds to a medium sized bedroom). The entire 5 mg of mercury vaporizes immediately (an unlikely occurrence), resulting in an airborne mercury concentration in this room of 0.2 mg/m3. This concentration will decrease with time, as air in the room leaves and is replaced by air from outside or from a different room. As a result, concentrations of mercury in the room will likely approach zero after about an hour or so.
  • you can also be exposed to mercury through the air, as
    • Emily Locklear
      Emily Locklear on 28 Nov 11
       
      Very Very Dangerous!!!!!!!!!!!!! :( DONT INHALE!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • elemental mercury vaporizes readily (essentially becomes a gas) and can thus be inhaled into your lungs. Breathing elemental mercury into your lungs is generally more dangerous than if you ate the mercury or absorbed it through your skin. Once inhaled, the mercury vapor can damage the central nervous system, kidneys, and liver.
  • These toxic effects are why any mercury spill should be handled carefully, including one that results from a CFL breaking
  • This is because CFLs contain relatively small amounts of mercury -- EPA estimates this amount to be 4-5 milligrams (mg) in a typical CFL
  • . A spill of this amount of mercury is not likely to present any excess risk to you or your family
  • Under these relatively conservative assumptions, this level and duration of mercury exposure is not likely to be dangerous, as it is lower than the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard of 0.05 mg/m3 of metallic mercury vapor averaged over eight hours. [To equate these values, we could estimate the average indoor airborne mercury concentration for 8 hours, beginning post-spill at an estimated starting value of 0.2 mg/m3 and decreasing from there. If one assumes the the air exchanges completely in one hour (a fairly standard assumption), then the 8-hour average concentration would be 0.025 mg/m3.]
  • Even though mercury from the broken CFL is not likely to be dangerous, it would be wise to take extra precautions to minimize mercury exposures
  • The US EPA publishes guidelines about the specific steps that you should take to clean up mercury in the event that a CFL breaks in your home
  • Briefly, EPA recommends that (1) you immediately open windows to reduce mercury concentrations inside your home; (2) you do not touch the spilled mercury; (3) you clean up the broken CFL glass carefully and immediately (but not with your hands or a vacuum cleaner), and (4) you wipe the affected area with a paper towel to remove all glass fragments and mercury. EPA further recommends that you place the paper towel and glass fragments in a sealed plastic bag and bring the sealed bag to your local Household Hazardous Waste (HHW)Collection Site.
  • Mercury in CFLs are present as elemental (or metallic)
  • mercury
  • mercury
  • mercury.
  • mercury
  • ercury.
  • mercury
  • mercury
Hannah Smith

Neuroscience for Kids - Effects of Mercury on the Nervous System - 4 views

faculty.washington.edu/...merc.html

cfl

shared by Hannah Smith on 07 Dec 11 - Cached
  • Elemental (metallic) mercury: shiny, silver, odorless liquid used in thermometers. It is absorbed by the body through vapors. Organic mercury: mercury combined with carbon. Methyl mercury is a common form of organic mercury. These forms of mercury are soluble in lipids and cross the blood brain barrier and placenta easily. Organic mercury is absorbed through the digestive tract and also through vapors.
  • Mercury is a natural material found in the earth. Some mercury vapors are given off during volcanic eruptions. Mercury is a by-product of coal-burning power plants. Mercury is released into the air, then it falls back to the earth. Mercury is used by mining operations to separate gold from impurities in ore. Mercury is used during the manufacture of various products. For example, before 1990, mercury was added to paint.
  • Breathe mercury fumes
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • Eat food (especially fish) or drink water that has been contaminated by mercury
  • Absorb mercury through the skin. Glass thermometers contain mercury that should be cleaned up properly
  • Eat objects that contain mercury. For example, small children may eat batteries that contain mercury. Broken high power lights and long fluorescent tubes can also contain mercury. Small amounts of mercury from these sources may be ingested accidentally.
  • Minamata Bay (Japan): Organic mercury was dumped into Minamata Bay in the 1950s. Fish in the bay were contaminated and about 2,000 people who ate these fish became poisoned. About 7% of the children born to mothers who ate contaminated fish had neurological problems. Symptoms in these children included uncoordinated movement, abnormal reflexes, seizures and speech problems. Some adults also had neurological problems such as visual disorders, shaking (tremors), weakness, nausea, hearing loss, depression, confusion, loss of appetite and memory problems. A total of 46 people died as a result of mercury exposure.
  • Iraq: In 1972, approximately 6,500 people fell ill and 459 people died after eating bread baked with wheat contaminated with a mercury-based fungicide.
  • Faroe Islands (North Atlantic): A study started in 1984 investigated the effects of methyl mercury exposure on children born to mothers who ate contaminated whale meat. Researchers found that children (seven years old) who were born to mothers with a 10-20 ppm mercury count had lower language, attention and memory scores than those children born to mothers with lower mercury levels. Interestingly, a study performed in the Seychelles Islands (Indian Ocean) did not reveal any effects on children born to mothers who had mercury hair levels of 10 ppm.
  • Take off any jewelry so you don't contaminate it. Scoop up the mercury with a sheet of cardboard. Place the mercury in a small bottle or vial. Cap the bottle or vial. Dispose of the bottle or vial properly. Many communities have special hazardous waste disposals or pick-up locations. Wash your hands! NEVER use a vacuum cleaner to clean up mercury spills. A vacuum cleaner will get contaminated and will spread mercury vapors into the air.
Cheyanne Strong

Basic Information about Mercury (inorganic) in Drinking Water | Basic Information about... - 3 views

water.epa.gov/...mercury.cfm

mercury drinking water

shared by Cheyanne Strong on 23 Nov 11 - No Cached
  • What is mercury?
  • What is mercury?
  • rcury
  • ...75 more annotations...
  • What is mercury
  • What is mercury?
  • What is mercury?
  • What is
  • What is
  • Uses for mercury.
  • Uses for mercury
  • Mercury is a liquid
  • metal
  • Mercury is a liqu
  • Electrical products such as dry-cell batteries, fluorescent light bulbs, switches, and other control equipment
  • 50 percent of mercury used
  • What are mercury's health effects?
  • Some people who drink water containing mercury well in excess
  • Some people who drink water containing mercury well in excess
  • Some people who drink water containing mercury well in excess
  • Some people who drink water containing mercury well in excess
  • well in exce
  • mercury well in excess
  • Some people who drink water containing mercury well in excess
  • experience kidney damage
  • Some people who drink water containing mercury well
  • Some people who drink water containing mercury
    • Cheyanne Strong
      Cheyanne Strong on 23 Nov 11
       
      Hey what i was goin to highlight wasw the first paragraph but it wouldnt let me so i decided instead to just tell yal on dis sticky note
  • What are EPA's drinking water regulations for mercury
  • Some people who drink water containing mercury well in excess
  • Some people who drink water containing mercury well in excess
  • In 1974, Congress passed the Safe Drinking Water Act
  • law requires EPA to determine
  • Some people who drink
  • could experience kidney damage
  • years could experience
  • many years could
  • many years could
  • contaminants
  • drinking water
  • drinking water at which no adverse health effects
  • likely to occur
  • non-enforceable health goals, based solely
  • possible health risks
  • exposure over a lifetime
  • adequate margin
  • safety
  • called maximum
  • contaminant level goals
  • Contaminants
  • Contaminants
  • Contaminant
  • Contaminants
  • any physical, chemical, biological or radiological substances or matter in water.
  • ontamina
  • (MCLG). Contaminants
  • The MCLG for mercury is 0.002 mg/L or 2 ppb
  • EPA has set this level of protection based on the best available science
  • prevent potential health problems
  • EPA has set an enforceable regulation for mercury
  • called a maximum contaminant level (MCL),
  • MCLs are set as close to the health goals as possible
  • considering cost
  • benefits
  • the ability of public water systems
  • detect and remove contaminants using suitable treatment technologies
  • this case, the MCL equals the MCLG, because analytical methods or treatment technology do not pose any limitation
  • The Phase II Rule, the regulation for mercury, became effective in 1992
  • The Safe Drinking Water Act requires EPA to periodically review the national primary drinking water regulation for each contaminant and revise the regulation, if appropriate. EPA reviewed mercury as part of the Six Year Review and determined that the 0.002 mg/L or 2 ppb MCLG and 0.002 mg/L or 2 ppb MCL for mercury are still protective of human health.
  • major sources
  • erosion of natural deposits
  • discharge from refineries
  • discharge from refineries and factories
  • discharge from refineries and factories
  • discharge from refineries and factories
  • discharge from refineries and factories; runoff from landfills; and runoff from croplands.
  • i  ndustries
  • i  ndustries, which manufacture, process, or use significant amounts of toxic chemicals, to report annually on their
  • i  ndustries, which manufacture, process, or use significant amounts of toxic chemicals, to report annually on their
Hannah Smith

Mercury: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia - 4 views

www.nlm.nih.gov/...002476.htm

shared by Hannah Smith on 01 Dec 11 - No Cached
  • Fluorescent light bulbs
  • Fluorescent light bulbs
    • Cheyanne Strong
      Cheyanne Strong on 01 Dec 11
       
      hey hannah
    • Hannah Smith
      Hannah Smith on 01 Dec 11
       
      hey MERCURY IS DANGEROUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :(
    • Cheyanne Strong
      Cheyanne Strong on 01 Dec 11
       
      i know its bad
    • Hannah Smith
      Hannah Smith on 01 Dec 11
       
      whoever came up with that cfl bulb needs 2 b shot n the head!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
  • ...19 more annotations...
  • Elemental mercury, also known as liquid mercury or quick silver Inorganic mercury salts Organic mercury
  • Elemental mercury is usually quite harmless if touched or swallowed
  • Considerable damage can occur, however,
    • Hannah Smith
      Hannah Smith on 01 Dec 11
       
      had 2 use yellow cause blue was acting up :(
  • if mercury is made airborne into small, little droplets and breathed
  • if mercury is made airborne into small, little droplets and breathed
  • into the lungs. This can often occur by mistake when people try to vacuum up mercury that has spilled onto the ground.
  • Breathing in elemental mercury will cause symptoms right away (acute) if enough mercury is breathed in. Symptoms wil
  • l also occur over time (chronic) if little amounts are inhaled every day. If this occurs, symptoms may include:
  • Metallic tasteVomitingDifficulty breathingBad coughSwollen, bleeding gums
  • Unlike elemental mercury, inorganic mercury is usually poisonous when swallowed. Depending on the how much is swallowed, symptoms may include:
  • Burning in the stomach and throatBloody diarrhea and vomiting
  • Organic mercury can cause sickness if breathed in, eaten, or placed on the skin for long periods of time. Usually organic mercury causes problems over years or decades, not immediately. In other words, being exposed to small amounts of organic mercury every day for years will likely cause symptoms to appear later. Regardless, a single large exposure can also cause problems.
  • Numbness or pain in certain parts of your skinUncontrollable shake or tremorInability to walk wellBlindness and double vision Memory problems
  • Seizures and death (with large exposures)
  • . It is so thick and slippery that it usually falls off your skin or out of your stomach without being absorbed.
  • Glass thermometersElectrical switchesFluorescent light bulbsOlder dental fillingsSome medical equipment
  • BatteriesChemistry labsSome disinfectantsFolk culture medicine
  • sRed cinnabar mineral
  • Older germ-killers (antiseptics) such as red mercurochrome (merbromin) -- this substance is now banned by the FDAThimerosalFumes from burning coal converted into organic mercury by certain organismsFish that have eaten a form of organic mercury called methylmercury
Hannah Smith

Dictionary - Definition of Mercury Poisoning - 1 views

www.websters-online-dictionary.org/...Mercury%20Poisoning

shared by Hannah Smith on 01 Dec 11 - No Cached
  • Common symptoms include peripheral neuropathy (presenting as paresthesia or itching, burning or pain), skin discoloration (pink cheeks, fingertips and toes), edema (swelling), and desquamation (dead skin peels off in layers).
  • Because mercury blocks the degradation pathway of catecholamines, epinephrine excess causes hyperhidrosis (profuse sweating), tachycardia (persistently faster-than-normal heart beat), mercurial ptyalism (hypersalivation) and hypertension (high blood pressure).
  • Mercury poisoning is caused by sufficient exposure to elemental mercury or mercury compounds. The consumption of fish is by far the most significant source of ingestion-related mercury exposure in humans, although plants and livestock also contain mercury due to bioaccumulation of mercury from soil, water and atmosphere, and due to biomagnification by ingesting other mercury-containing organisms.[3] Exposure to mercury can occur from breathing contaminated air,[4] or from improper use or disposal of mercury and mercury-containing objects, for example, after spills of elemental mercury or improper disposal of fluorescent light bulbs.[5]
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • A 1987 report described a 23-month-old toddler who suffered anorexia, weight loss, irritability, profuse sweating, and peeling and redness of fingers and toes. This case of acrodynia was traced to exposure of mercury from a carton of 8-foot fluorescent light bulbs that had broken in a potting shed adjacent to the main nursery. The glass was cleaned up and discarded, but the child often used the area for play.
Emily Locklear

Some Comfort About Broken CFLs - Science News - 0 views

www.sciencenews.org/...Some_comfort_about_broken_CFLs

cfl

shared by Emily Locklear on 05 Dec 11 - No Cached
  • one of those highly efficient CFLs I’d installed all over the house. She didn’t shatter the whole bulb, just a roughly 3-inch segment of the swirly glass, which (naturally) embedded in the fibers of her carpet. Having heard me warn endlessly of how we should be careful in handling these bulbs — since they contain mercury — she wanted to know what kind of damage control was called for. I only wish I knew then what I do now. It wouldn’t have changed how we cleaned up the mess, but we would have slept a bit better that night.
  • New data from Yadong Li and Li Jin of Jackson State University in Mississippi help put concerns about mercury from broken bulbs in perspective. They measured the mercury present in both new and used CFLs and recorded the continuous emissions from ones that they intentionally broke.
  • Keep in mind, Li notes, a CFL's elemental mercury is not in vapor form unless the lamp is on with a current running through it. Otherwise, the mercury resides along the inside of the glass. And it's from there that the mercury will slowly volatilize once exposed to air. So another lesson: Breaking a CFL while it's turned on can initially disperse a bigger puff of mercury vapor into the air than if its glass is damaged while the bulb is off, Li says
  • ...10 more annotations...
  • A more disturbing finding was how long a broken CFL can continue to release toxic vapors: a minimum of 43 days (which is how long Li and Jin ran their tests with bulbs from three different manufacturers). The engineers computed how much of each bulb’s starting mercury had been lost during that time (which wasn’t easy, since starting values and release rates both varied broadly between bulbs). Their calculations indicate that each CFL still contained enough residual elemental mercury at the end of their testing to continue releasing the toxic substance into the air for at least 10 more days, and in one instance, for 85 more days
  • If not cleaned up, the bulb with the largest initial store of mercury could have spewed 1 milligram of the toxic metal into a room's air within 25 days; another could have reached that level within about 40 days. Li and Jin cited data by others indicating that the release of 1 milligram of mercury vapor into a 500 cubic meter room can yield air concentrations 10 times the current recommended limit for a child. Breaking a CFL can thus cause
  • develop, Li and Jin conclude.
  • The Environmental Protection Agency offers consumers guidance on how to deal with cleaning up a broken CFL. It also recommends something that we should have thought about: Don’t use these lights where they will be unprotected. Like the ceiling fixture in my daughter’s closet. What EPA failed to add: Consumers should ignore any pest that flies within swatting distance of a CFL
  • exceed the mercury-reduction goal set by the National Electric Manufacturers Association of 5 milligrams per CFL for lamps 25 watts or lower. In fact, most bulbs had less than 2.5 milligrams. — For the most popular, 13-watt CFLs, mercury concentrations varied dramatically between brands, from 0.17 to 3.6 milligrams
  • bigger pollution risk than is one near the end of its life. — Bulbs produced by the major manufacturers since 2008 meet
  • it into a solid that will not volatilize. Therefore, an unused bulb poses a significantly
  • used, rendering it less toxic. Explains Li, the mercury oxidizes, t
  • The mercury in a bulb undergoes chemical changes over time as
  • Other interesting factoids from their paper:
Emily Locklear

The Downside to Compact Fluorescent Bulbs: Seven Problems with CFL Bulbs Prevent Wider ... - 2 views

holly-martin.suite101.com/pact-fluorescent-bulbs-a103105

cfl

shared by Emily Locklear on 29 Nov 11 - No Cached
  • CFLs and Mercury
  • One of the biggest reasons to buy CFLs is that because they use so little energy, they reduce overall emissions of
  • mercury into the air from power plant smoke stacks. However, as noted above, all fluorescent bulbs contain a tiny
  • ...23 more annotations...
  • mercury, which is highly toxic
  • depending on the state or country involved, the use of CFLs may actually increase total mercury released to the environment.
  • The reason is that power plants use different fuel sources, which release different amount of mercury into the air
  • In some locations that use cleaner coal, or that have few recycling options, the mercury leaked into
  • environment from landfilled CFLs could actually surpass the amount saved by using less electricity from power plants.
  • Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) are the light bulbs of choice
  • for saving energy and money on utilities
  • But several drawbacks are forcing some to look for other options.
  • are far more efficient than
  • traditional bulbs, which waste about 90 percent of their energy on heat. Many people have significantly reduced their electric bills by switching to CFLs. But there are situations where CFLs are not the best option.
  • CFLs work on the principle of fluorescence
  • An electronic ballast in the base
  • of the bulb generates an arc between two electrodes inside a glass t
  • filled with gas
  • The arc excites mercury atoms in the gas so that they give off
  • ultra-violet (UV) energy
  • Cleanup and Recycling of CFLs
  • Although the amount of mercury in a CFL is much less than that in a can of tuna, CFLs are considered household hazardous waste. By law, they must be either be recycled or taken to an approved hazardous waste disposal site.
  • These steps include airing out the room, putting all debris and cleaning materials into a sealed jar or double plastic bag, and avoiding the use of brooms or vacuum cleaners that might stir mercury into the air.
  • Protection website recommends disposing of the carpet, rug or bedspread on which a CFL breaks. It also suggests that CFLs might not be appropriate in rooms used by infants, small children or pregnant women, who are more susceptible to mercury poisoning.
  • Many hardware stores and local disposal sites accept CFLs for recycling, and some companies now sell pre-paid shipping boxes addressed to recycling plants. Unfortunately, not everyone has easy access to these options, so about three out of four CFLs end up in landfills, where the mercury gets leached into the soil and groundwater.
  • CFLs on Dimmer Switches
  • dimmer switches. Using these switches saves energy by reducing the amount of power needed for lighting. But most CFLs do not work on dimmer switches, and may actually damage this kind of switch.
Emily Locklear

When a CFL Breaks: EPA Guidelines for Cleanup of Compact Fluorescent Light - 3 views

homerepair.about.com/...cfl_epa_cleanup.htm

cfl

shared by Emily Locklear on 29 Nov 11 - No Cached
  • alternative to incandescent lighting
  • Compact Fluorescent Lamps or CFL's have received much attention as an energy efficient
  • increased use has caused concerns as people learn about their mercury hazards and
  • ...10 more annotations...
  • what's involved in cleaning them up if they break.
  • well, surprised about CFL's since
  • they are touted as being clean, green, lighting machines. Even the Environmental
  • Protection Agency (EPA) program ENERGY STAR touts these lights as safe and clean
  • The problem? Well, CFL's contain a neurotoxin called mercury that gets released when the bulb breaks. Mercury exposure has adverse health effects. Since mercury vapor is essential to CFL operation, CFL's are considered a hazardous material when they break and cannot
  • be thrown away
  • Here's an example of what I mean. This FAQ from ENERGY STAR states near the bottom of page two:
  • Mercury is an element found naturally in the environment
  • Great, sounds natural, like water.
  • However CFL's use mercury in a vapor form. The EPA website for Elemental Mercury Exposure, states: "It is not uncommon for children to break fever thermometers in their mouths. Mercury that is swallowed in such cases poses low risk comparison to the risk of breathing mercury vapor."
Emily Locklear

Are Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs Dangerous?: Scientific American - 4 views

www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm

cfl

shared by Emily Locklear on 28 Nov 11 - No Cached
  • ability to emit light; no other element has proved as efficient.
  • however, mercury—sometimes called quicksilver—is also highly toxic
  • . It is especially harmful to the brains of both fetuses and children. That's why officials have curtailed or banned its use in applications from thermometers to automotive and thermostat switches. (A single thermostat switch, still common in many homes, may contain 3,000 milligrams (0.1 ounce) of mercury, or as much as 600 compact fluorescents
  • ...20 more annotations...
  • Mercury escapes as vapor that can be inhaled and as a fine powder that can settle into carpet and other textiles
  • At least one case of mercury poisoning has been linked to fluorescents: A 1987 article in Pediatrics describes a 23-month-old who suffered weight loss and severe rashes after a carton of eight-foot (2.4-meter) tubular bulbs broke in a play area.State and federal government agencies say that breakages, though deserving of caution, can usually be cleaned up inexpensively with household goods. (In the Maine case, the state acknowledges providing the referral but insists the homeowner was informed that such a step was unnecessary.)
  • The important thing is not to touch the heavy metal. After airing out the room, the
  • larger pieces of the bulb should be scooped off hard surfaces with stiff paper or
  • cardboard or picked up off carpeted surfaces with gloves to avoid contact
  • tape or duct tape to pick up smaller fragments; then, on hard surfaces, wipe down the area with a damp paper towel or a wet wipe. All materials should be placed in a sealable plastic bag or, even better, in a glass jar with a metal lid.
  • Use sticky
  • fluorescents out with regular garbage,
  • In many locales it is illegal to throw
  • but the closest recycling or take-back facility
  • may be miles away
  • (And, given the number of bottles and cans that end up in landfills
  • despite the prevalence of curbside recycling programs, it seems likely that any barrier
  • to recycling will make for relatively low reclamation rates; in 2004 the Association of Lighting and Mercury Recyclers estimated a residential mercury bulb recycling rate of 2 percent
  • fluorescents is that they save significant quantities of energy," Berlow adds. "We're talking about two thirds to three quarters of the energy associated with lighting being reduced
  • largest U.S. source: coal-fired power plants. "Probably the most important thing that people need to connect with compact
  • fluorescent bulbs actually reduce the mercury pollution from the single
  • ompact
  • ompac
  • And compact
Emily Locklear

Facts About CFLs - Earth911.com - 3 views

earth911.com/...facts-about-cfls

cfl

shared by Emily Locklear on 30 Nov 11 - Cached
  • Sealed within the glass tubing of CFLs, is a very small amount of mercury. On average, CFLs contain four milligrams of mercury – about the same amount that would fit on the tip of a ballpoint pen. This may seem high to some, but keep in mind that old thermometers contained about 500 milligrams of mercury. Mercury  allows the bulb to be an efficient light source. No mercury is released when the bulbs are intact or not being used.
  • Thanks to a commitment from members of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), most makers of light bulbs have reduced mercury in their products
  • This has been made easier by advances in technology. Based on these two factors, the average mercury content in CFLs dropped at least 20 percent in the past few years. Some manufacturers have gone as far to have dropped their CFLs’ mercury content to 1.4 to 2.5 milligrams per light bulb.
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  • Always hold the base of the bulb, not the glass, when screwing and unscrewing it. Don’t force the bulb into the socket. If a CFL breaks in your home, follow the clean-up recommendations provided by the EPA. Used CFLs should be properly disposed of through recycling.
  • returned to local recycling centers or household hazardous waste events that accept CFLs. If your state or local environmental agency allows you to put used or broken CFLs in the garbage, make sure to seal the bulb in two plastic bags before being placed in an outdoor trash can for pickup. Never send a fluorescent light bulb or any other mercury
  • containing product to an incinerator.
Hannah Smith

LED Light Bulbs - 4 views

prolightbulbs.com

cfl

shared by Hannah Smith on 01 Dec 11 - No Cached
  • 23-Month-Old Toddler Suffers Mercury Poisoning from Fluorescent Lights (CFLs)!
  • –They could kill your children or pets
  • Wait….WHAT?!?  Did you say they can kill children and pets
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  • Unfortunately, yes. Compact fluorescent lights are filled with, among other things, poisonous Mercury in gaseous form. If these bulbs are dropped or break, this Mercury is released into the surrounding atmosphere.
  • “When they are broken indoors, [CFL] bulbs may emit sufficient mercury vapor to present health concerns, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends evacuating and airing out a room for at least 15 minutes after breaking a fluorescent light bulb.
  • A 1987 report described a 23-month-old toddler who suffered irritability, anorexia, profuse sweating, weight loss, and peeling/redness of the fingers and toes.
  • a carton of 8-foot fluorescent light bulbs that had broken in a potting shed adjacent to the main nursery.
  • This case of acrodynia was traced to exposure of mercury from
  • The glass was cleaned up and discarded, but the child often used the area for play.”
  • For normal sized adults, breaking a fluorescent light or two simply involves evacuating a room, airing it out, and dealing with small amounts of mercury poisoning.
  • No big deal right. Just some mercury poisoning.
  • Everyday stuff. Just evacuate the room for a while, then back to work…
  • For small children and pets, mercury poisoning can be fatal.
  • But don’t worry, the manufacturers of CFL Light Bulbs assure you that it’s not enough mercury to actually kill your children. Oh good…
  • I’ll Choose the Non-Poisonous LED Light Bulbs!
Emily Locklear

Fluorescent Lights' Mercury Poses Dim Threat - 0 views

news.nationalgeographic.com/...070518-cfls-bulbs.html

cfl

shared by Emily Locklear on 05 Dec 11 - Cached
    • Emily Locklear
      Emily Locklear on 05 Dec 11
       
      energy saving but deadly
  • They're breakable, contain toxic material, and are becoming increasingly commonplace. But fears of mercury poisoning from new energy-efficient fluorescent bulbs are overplayed, experts say.
  • But CFLs' cool-burning illumination is made possible by a pinch of poison—about five milligrams of mercury sealed inside every glass tube—and the need for the element is unlikely to change anytime soon. Mercury is a potent neurotoxin and long-lived environmental contaminant, and even the small amount present in CFLs poses a problem. When the bulbs break, either in the house or at a waste disposal site, their mercury content is released. According to a few vocal CFL opponents, such as Fox News Web site's "Junk Science" correspondent
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  • Steve
  • Milloy
  • makes
  • These critics have charged environmentalists with being uncharacteristically "pro-mercury" when it comes to the lights. The critics often cite the recent story of a resident of Ellsworth, Maine, who amassed a clean-up bill of more than 2,000 U.S. dollars by shattering a single CFL in her home. The story originally appeared in the Ellsworth American and quickly spread to other newspapers, such as Canada's National Post and the Washington Times.
  • But the enormous bill came about as a result of bad advice—a fact often omitted in follow-ups to the original article. "There's a lot of misleading information out there," said Joel Hogue, president of Elemental Services and Consulting, an Ohio-based company specializing in the cleanup of sites contaminated with mercury. "But when people learn the facts
  • dies down."
  • Like with many other household products, Hogue said, the use of CFLs requires some commonsense precautions. But if a bulb breaks, his company's clean-up services are not required.
  • There's an extremely small amount of mercury in those bulbs," Hogue said. "It's a very minimal risk" and can easily be cleaned up at home. One CFL contains a hundred times less mercury than is found in a single dental amalgam filling or old-style glass thermometer, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
  • Long billed as a "green" product for environmentally conscious consumers, compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) are quickly becoming the norm in household lighting—and may soon replace traditional incandescent bulbs altogether.
Emily Locklear

The Danger Lurking In Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs | Fox News - 0 views

www.foxnews.com/...ompact-fluorescent-light-bulbs

cfl

shared by Emily Locklear on 02 Dec 11 - No Cached
  • You see them in every grocery store and home center - those funny-looking curly compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) that are rapidly replacing the old round bulbs. And pretty
  • soon, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 kicks in, requiring bulbs to be 25 to
  • The energy efficiency of CFLs may be significant, but unlike traditional light bulbs, there is a
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  • cracke
  • So what does that mean if a CFL is cracked or breaks in our homes, releasing mercury vapors in an enclosed area?
  • miniscule amount – 4 to 5 milligrams – there is enough mercury in just one fluorescent light bulb to contaminate 6,000 gallons of water
  • broken or not disposed of properly. Although it sounds like a
  • problems. CFLs are marketed as “safe” and don’t pose any health risks as long as the glass remains intact. The
  • bulbs
  • danger comes if the bulbs
  • The EPA suggests the following:o People and pets should immediately leave the room. o Open a window and/or door and Air out the room for 5 to 10 minutes. o Turn off the central forced air heating/air-conditioning system. o Thoroughly collect broken glass and visible powder using wet cloths. Never use vacuum cleaners or brooms.
  • Consumers – especially those with young children –need to know what to do when a CFL breaks and the proper way to dispose of used bulbs. It’s no longer as easy as changing a light bulb
  • If practical, continue to air out the room where the bulb was broken and leave the heating/air conditioning system shut off for several hours.http://www.epa.gov/cfl/cflcleanup.html
  • All of this needs to be done to protect people from the tiny amount of mercury in one fluorescent light bulb. Which begs the question, are these lights really safe and are the risks worth it? Another equally important concern is what happens to the environment – the air, soil and water – when tons of discarded bulbs, along with the mercury, are dumped into local landfills?
  • The threat posed by billions of broken CFLs lying in landfills has resulted in some communities requiring their citizens to discard used and broken CFLs in designated recycling centers or in a hazardous-waste collection facility.
  • Given the known deleterious effects caused by mercury, it would seem logical to assume there will be some unintended consequences resulting from the switch to compact fluorescent lights. Only time will tell how significant those consequences will be.
  • If you are concerned about the possible health risks associated with CFLs, LED or halogen lights are good alternatives. Both cost a little more but are as efficient as CFLs and can be recycled easily. For more information about mercury and compact fluorescent light bulbs go tohttp://www.epa.gov/cfl/
  • with Cancer. Deirdre is the author of four books, including three national bestsellers.
  • Hackensack University Medical Center and Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Imus Cattle Ranch for
  • Deirdre Imus is the Founder and President of The Deirdre Imus Environmental Health CenterTM at
Emily Locklear

Shining a light on fluorescent bulbs - US news - Environment - msnbc.com - 0 views

www.msnbc.msn.com/...ight-hazards-fluorescent-bulbs

cfl

shared by Emily Locklear on 02 Dec 11 - No Cached
  • Compact fluorescent light bulbs, long touted by environmentalists as a more efficient and longer-lasting alternative to the incandescent bulbs that have lighted homes for more than a century, are running into resistance from waste industry officials and some environmental scientists, who warn that the bulbs’ poisonous innards pose a bigger threat to health and the environment than previously thought.
  • Fluorescents — the squiggly, coiled bulbs that generate light by heating gases in a glass tube — are generally considered to use more than 50 percent less energy and to last several times longer than incandescent bulbs
  • contaminate up to 6,000 gallons of water beyond safe drinking levels, extrapolated from Stanford University research on mercury. Even the latest lamps promoted as “low-mercury” can contaminate more than 1,000 gallons of water beyond safe levels.
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  • When Bridges began calling around to local government agencies to find out what to do, “I was shocked to see how uninformed literally everyone I spoke to was,” she said. “Even our own poison control operator didn’t know what to tell me
  • It was just a wiggly bulb that I reached up to change,” Bridges said. “When the bulb hit the floor, it shattered.”
  • Manufacturers and the EPA say broken CFLs should be handled carefully and recycled to limit dangerous vapors and the spread of mercury dust. But guidelines for how to do that can be difficult to find, as Brandy Bridges
  • of Ellsworth, Maine, discovered
  • The state eventually referred her to a private cleanup firm, which quoted a $2,000 estimate to contain the mercury. After Bridges complained publicly about her predicament, state officials changed their recommendation: Simply throw it in the trash, they said
  • Break a bulb? Five steps for cleanup That was the wrong answer, according to the EPA. It offers a detailed, 11-step procedure you should follow: Air out the room for a quarter of an hour. Wear gloves. Double-bag the refuse. Use duct tape to lift the residue from a carpet. Don’t use a vacuum cleaner, as that will only spread the problem. The next time you vacuum the area, immediately dispose of the vacuum bag.
  • In general, however, the EPA endorses the use of fluorescent bulbs, citing their energy savings. Silbergeld also does not discourage their use because of their energy savings, but she said the EPA could be sending mixed signals to confused consumers.
  • “It’s kind of ironic that on the one hand, the agency is saying, ‘Don’t worry, it’s a very small amount of mercury.’ Then they have a whole page of [instructions] how to handle the situation if you break one,” she
  • “I think there’s going to be hundreds of millions of [CFLs] in landfills all over the country,” said Leonard Worth, head of Fluorecycle Inc. of Ingleside, Ill., a certified facility. Once in a landfill, bulbs are likely to shatter even if they’re packaged properly, said the Solid Waste Association of North America. From there, mercury can leach into soil and groundwater and its vapors can spread through the air, potentially exposing workers to toxic levels of the poison.
Hannah Smith

Will a Broken CFL Bulb Kill Me? - Planet Green - 3 views

planetgreen.discovery.com/...cfl-broken-bulbs.html

cfl

shared by Hannah Smith on 01 Dec 11 - No Cached
  • The main concern with CFLs is that they contain mercury, a toxic metal, sealed within its glass tubing. Mercury could lead to sickness if you come in direct contact with enough of the substance. But if you didn’t feel sick or aren’t sick now, it’s probably a good chance you are fine, especially since CFLs only contain a small amount
  • of mercury; about 4-5 milligrams according to the EPA.
Emily Locklear

Broken Fluorescent Light Bulb & Dangers to the Skin | eHow.com - 0 views

www.ehow.com/n-light-bulb-dangers-skin.html

cfl

shared by Emily Locklear on 02 Dec 11 - No Cached
  • inhale a hazardous vapor, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency
  • Mercury is not dangerous if it touches your skin, but if you get it on
  • A broken fluorescent light bulb can also expose you to mercury
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  • Mercury
  • If you inhale mercury, contact your local poison control center. You might need to have mercury removed from your body by suction or through medication, according to the National Institutes of Health.
  • up all the pieces and then place them into a sealed plastic bag. After you are finished, wash your hands thoroughly and ventilate the room
  • Prevention
  • Solution
  • To avoid injury to your skin, if a fluorescent light bulb breaks, sweep
Emily Locklear

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb Mercury Warning - 1 views

www.hoax-slayer.com/rcury-fluorescent-lights.shtml

cfl

shared by Emily Locklear on 22 Nov 11 - No Cached
  • What to Do if a Fluorescent Light Bulb Breaks Fluorescent light bulbs contain a very small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing. EPA recommends the following clean-up and disposal guidelines: Open a window and leave the room (restrict access) for at least 15 minutes
  • Remove all materials you can without using a vacuum cleaner. Wear disposable rubber gloves, if available (do not use your bare hands). Carefully scoop up the fragments and powder with stiff paper or cardboard. Wipe the area clean with a damp paper towel or disposable wet wipe. Sticky tape (such as duct tape) can be used to pick up small pieces and powder
  • Place all cleanup materials in a plastic bag and seal it. If your state permits you to put used or broken fluorescent light bulbs in the garbage, seal the bulb in two plastic bags and put into the outside trash (if no other disposal or recycling options are available).
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  • Wash your hands after disposing of the bag. The first time you vacuum the area where the bulb was broken, remove the vacuum bag once done cleaning the area (or empty and wipe the canister) and put the bag and/or vacuum debris, as well as the cleaning materials, in two sealed plastic bags in the outdoor trash or protected outdoor location for normal disposal.
  • WASHINGTON - Brandy Bridges heard the claims of government officials, environmentalists and retailers like Wal-Mart all pushing the idea of replacing incandescent light bulbs with energy-saving and money-saving compact fluorescent lamps.So, last month, the Prospect, Maine, resident went out and bought two dozen CFLs and began installing them in her home. One broke. A month later, her daughter's bedroom remains sealed off with plastic like the site of a hazardous materials accident, while Bridges works on a way to pay off a $2,000 estimate by a company specializing in environmentally sound cleanups of the mercury inside the bulb.
  • News reports claim that if a Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb (CFL) is broken, it can release dangerous levels of mercury into the house and a professional environmental cleanup crew is required to handle the problem (Full commentary below).
  • Mart all pushing the idea of replacing incandescent light bulbs with energy-saving and money-saving compact fluorescent
  • WASHINGTON - Brandy Bridges heard the claims of government officials, environmentalists and retailers like Wal-Mart all pushing the idea of replacing incandescent light bulbs with energy
  • claims of government officials, environmentalists and retailers like Wal-Mart all pushing the idea of replacing incandescent light bulbs with energy-saving and money-saving compact fluorescent lamps.
Emily Locklear

The Problems with Compact Fluorescent (CFL) Bulbs - 0 views

www.thegreenlife.org/act-fluorescent-cfl-bulbs.html

cfl

shared by Emily Locklear on 05 Dec 11 - No Cached
  • Mercury content Like all fluorescent lamps, CFLs contain a small amount of vaporized mercury. Mercury is poisonous even in small amounts. If a bulb is broken, then there is the risk being exposed to dangerous mercury vapors. Though the bulbs are meant to be recycled, many are almost certain to end up in landfills and dumps – polluting the grounds, air, and water with small amounts of the poisonous substance
  • CFL bulbs are often hailed as the green replacement of the older incandescent bulbs. CFLs use less energy and can have a lifespan of around ten times that of incandescents if not turned on and off repeatedly over short periods of time. These are all well and good, but there are some drawbacks to the CFLs that people should know about before making the switch
  • The Problems with Compact Fluorescent (CFL) Bulbs
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  • The Problems with Compact Fluorescent (CFL) Bulbs
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