Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs - Proper Clean Up & Disposal

In an effort to “go green” and lower our electric bills, we switched to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). By now, you are probably familiar with those twisty bulbs that are touted to use about 75% less electricity and last up to 10 times longer than traditional incandescent light bulbs. It was only recently that we became aware that CFLs contain mercury. Therefore, if a CFL breaks or needs to be disposed, special precautions need to be taken.
Recognizing the increasing popularity of CFLs, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has come up with recommendations for cleaning up after broken CFLs (www.epa.gov/mercury/spills). The EPA’s website provides the following guidelines:

Before Clean-up: Ventilate the Room
1. Have people and pets leave the room, and don’t let anyone walk through the breakage area on their way out.
2. Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
3. Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system.
4. Clean-Up Steps for Hard Surfaces
5. Carefully scoop up glass fragments and powder using stiff paper or cardboard 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.
6. Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes and place them in the glass jar or plastic bag.
7. Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.

Clean-up Steps for Carpeting or Rug
1. 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.
2. Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
3. If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken.
4. Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic bag.

Disposal of Clean-up Materials
1. Immediately place all cleanup materials outside the building in a trash container or outdoor protected area for the next normal trash.
2. Wash your hands after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing clean-up materials.
3. 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.

Future Cleaning of Carpeting or Rug: Ventilate the Room During and After Vacuuming
1. The next several times you vacuum, shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system and open a window prior to vacuuming.
2. Keep the central heating/air conditioning system shut off and the window open for at least 15 minutes after vacuuming is completed.

Palm Beach County Solid Waste Authority’s Rules on Disposing of CFLs
Since much of the waste generated in Palm Beach County is incinerated, CFLs are not accepted curbside. The Palm Beach County Solid Waste Authority (SWA) advises that fluorescent lights be brought to any one of the SWA’s hazardous waste drop-off sites throughout Palm Beach County . These sites are listed in SWA’s website at www.swa.org, or you can call 561-697-2700 for more information and hours of operation. The South County drop-off site, which is closest to Boca Raton, is located at 1901 SW 4th Avenue, Delray Beach.