Mercury in CFL's
CFL has a small amount of mercury – about the amount of the tip of a pencil.
The internet has been buzzing concerning a woman who spent thousands of dollars
cleaning up from a CFL bulb breaking.
The truth is, this wasn’t necessary. The mercury powder is not in the tube
of the bulb, it’s in a little cathode in the ends that are completely encased
where it doesn’t leak when the tube is broken.
In an abundance of caution, if a CFL breaks, open windows to ventilate the
area, wear gloves, use cardboard to scoop the fragments then duct tape
for the little pieces. Place all contents of the cleanup including gloves
in a plastic bag and hand over to a hazardous waste disposal company.
Between CFL and the standard incandescent, CFL’s are still, hands down, the
only green choice.
Until LED’s become more standardized and economical, CFL’S are the only choice,
at this time, an Earthling can make!
So there!
Tags: cfl, energy saving, Going Green, green, led, mercury
