Maintenance technicians today know that a CFL isn’t just the Canadian Football League, where undersized football stars go to finish their careers. In the ever-more green, eco-friendly, low-carbon-footprint world of business, a CFL is a compact fluorescent lamp.
CFLs were one of the first no-brainer “green” methods to be widely adopted by multifamily managers. They have a decent return on investment due to their lower energy usage and their longer bulb life (compared to the old incandescents).
It was an easy bandwagon to jump on, and many have. But there is a drawback.
Although these bulbs are relatively tough compared to the older bulbs, they break if you whack them hard enough with a broom. Broken CFLs can release fine white powder that contains a very small amount (typically less than 5 milligrams) of mercury.
Mercury is a toxic metal element and since “the dose makes the poison,” the lower the body weight of a person being exposed, the more likely that a significant mercury exposure could occur after a CFL break. A similar hazard exists with long fluorescent tube-type bulb breaks. Therefore, babies and small children face the largest risk of exposure immediately after a bulb is broken.
Risk assessments of CFL and fluorescent bulb breaks have shown that there is actually a very small exposure hazard. Nonetheless, a proper cleanup of the area affected is a good idea. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued new guidelines for conducting this cleanup, and it doesn’t require special equipment. Visit www.epa.gov/cfl.
Source: Benjamin Hestir, P.E. Environmental Consultant, APTly Spoken, www.naahq.org/blog
Cleaning Up a Broken CFL
Before cleanup
• Have people and pets leave the room.
• Air out the room for 5 to 10 minutes by opening a window or door to the outdoor environment.
• Shut off the central forced air heating/air-conditioning system, if you have one.
• Collect the materials needed to clean up broken bulb.
During cleanup
• Be thorough in collecting broken glass and visible powder.
• Place cleanup materials in a sealable container.
After cleanup
• Promptly place all bulb debris and cleanup materials outdoors in a trash container or protected area until materials can be disposed of properly. Avoid leaving any bulb fragments or cleanup materials indoors.
• 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.
Source: www.epa.gov/cfl/cflcleanup.html