Toxic time bomb?

Switching from traditional light bulbs to compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs is an effective, accessible change every American can make right now to reduce energy use at home and prevent greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global climate change. It is true that CFLs do contain mercury, but this does not mean that a broken bulb will turn your home into a Superfund site. While the right-wing contrivances peddled by Fox news pins CFLs as "toxic time bombs", this is hardly the case. A CFL bulb contains around 5 milligrams of mercury. In comparison, a household thermometer can contain 500 milligrams of mercury. Research I had done for my graduate research paper on the environmental impact of power plant regulations in Massachusetts showed that 50 tons of mercury is emitted by coal burning power plants in the United States each year. Yet, Fox seems to avoid this formidable issue. In fact, if more Americans installed CFLs in their homes this would likely reduce the demand for power from coal fueled plants decreasing the amount of mercury emitted significantly even while more CLFs are in use. Another important fact Fox simply ignores is that people don't have to throw away expired CFLs. They can and should be recycled. In fact, due to regulations on businesses, 25% of CLFs are already recycled. Lack of consumer knowledge prevents this number from being larger. Economic incentives would be useful here to increase rates, such as a cash refund or a discount on new CLFs when old ones are returned.

Mercury is dangerous however, so in the event of a broken bulb, the EPA recommends the following treatment:

1. Open a window and leave the room for at least 15 minutes (to let the mercury vaporize).
2. Remove all materials (i.e., the pieces of the broken bulb) without using a vacuum cleaner. You don't want even a small amount of mercury lurking in your vacuum. To do so:
   • Wear disposable rubber gloves, if available. (Never touch the bulb pieces with your bare hands.)
   • Carefully scoop up the fragments and powder with stiff paper or cardboard (you don't want the stuff to get on your broom or dustpan either).
   • Wipe the area clean with a damp paper towel or disposable wet wipe. Sticky tape, such as duct tape (yet another use for the versatile material!), can be used to pick up small pieces and powder.
3. Place all cleanup materials in a plastic bag and seal it. If your state permits you to put used or broken CFLs in the garbage, seal the CFL in two plastic bags and put into the outside trash (if no other disposal or recycling options are available). If your state doesn't allow this, consult the local hazardous-waste authority for safe-recycling information. Some hardware stores will also accept old bulbs; to find a recycler near you, try Earth 911, or (800) CLEAN-UP, for a location near you.
4. Wash your hands after disposing of the bag.
5. 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.