Mercury : (Hg) in your Home and Garden

Many Americans have made the switch to using Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL bulbs) in their homes which is generally a good thing.

The energy savings from CFL's is substantial, with the added benefit of reducing green house gasses during the life cycle of the lamp.

CFL's have many advantages, but there are a couple of nagging drawbacks.
These amazing bulbs contain Mercury (Hg), a toxic substance. Surprisingly the average consumers who install CFL's in their homes are typically not certain what to do in the event of a broken bulb or how to properly dispose of these products.

This lack of knowledge is understandable since companies who manufacture these products have not done a great job of educating consumers. One reason being that regulation varies from state to state.

Some of us who are old enough to remember breaking mercury thermometers in grade school, to play with magical silvery liquid, might be asking "what's the big deal? if mercury is that dangerous then how did I survive?"
Most of us have survived, but the EPA list some great reasons to avoid exposure. Health Effects

Breaking one bulb is not going to kill anyone, however, since the EPA recommends throwing away anything that comes in contact with the powder from a broken bulb, a little education might be useful.

We recommend that everyone become acquainted with the procedures for cleaning up after breaking a bulb. ENERGY STAR FACT SHEET see p.2+3. At the very least everyone in the home should know that if a bulb breaks, open the windows and leave the room for at least 15 minutes. Avoid vacuuming up the debris.

Also, carefully consider the location of use. Avoid installing these bulbs in portable lamp fixtures in the baby's room where big brother or sister might knock it over. This unfortunately adds another good reason not to kick the soccer ball in the house. This is a good place to note that incandescent lamps can cause a fire if knocked over as well (choose your fixtures wisely)

In my bit of research, I'm still not certain if I would keep the carpet in a kids room if a CFL was broken onto it.

It is important that remodeling contractors, nannies and cleaning crews understand these procedures as well because no matter how careful we are, things (especially light bulbs) can break.

Finally, be careful in storing these in bulk.
There have been so many great deals over the years to purchase CFL's in packs of 6 that many homeowners have almost a case of these stored in less than ideal conditions. If the kids accidentally crush a package of these in the laundry room then there could be a serious problem looming. Especially considering how we are striving to make homes more energy efficient and tighten the envelope and air loss, which means toxic vapors can take longer to dissipate.

Please take a moment to visit the sites below especially the disposal and clean-up tips.
Disposal:
Energy Trust of Oregon: CFL Disposal

Clean-up
Energy Star Fact Sheet

My favorite place to purchase Mercury:
Light bulb lady Sunlan Lighting on Mississippi