(NECN: Tom Langford) - They're showing up at hardware stores across New England.
And one look at the packaging tells you why they're becoming popular. Compact florescent lightbulbs -- known as CFLs -- can deliver big savings on your energy bill.
In fact, they're so good, the government is mandating the phase out of traditional incandescent bulbs, in favor of energy-efficient bulbs, such as CFLs. But what's less publicized, and less popular, is on the back of the package.
CFLs contain mercury -- a dangerous toxin that can effect your nervous system. And if one breaks, mercury is released into your home. That's what happened to Tom Heim. And when his bulb broke, he did was most people would do -- he vacuumed it up.
Turns out -- that's the worst thing you can do.
Heim explains, "I spread mercury back into the air."
Jim Colman, from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, says, "the first rule is not to vacuum."
He says, you need to take special precautions with broken CFL bulbs.
"It would be a very small exposure, but we think its prudent to avoid as much exposure as you possibly can."
That's why, if you break one -- the EPA recommends you follow a 15-step process that's similar to cleaning up hazardous waste.
Instructions include:
Evacuate all kids, pets and pregnant women...
Open all the windows...
Clean up the bulb using rubber gloves and stiff cardboard...
Then seal it in an airtight glass jar and take it outside.
If the bulb breaks on carpet, you should dispose of the carpet, or ventilate the area for several weeks.
Massachusetts Congressional Representative Ed Markey is one of the co-sponsors of the law that's pushing CFLs.
He said, "people should be careful in the clean up process, no question. But as each new generation of bulb is produced, there will be less and less mercury." And, he explains, the bulbs are worth the risk because when CFLs use less energy, coal-fired power plants put less mercury into the atmosphere.
"So this is a way of actually reducing the amount of mercury in totality and in fact, exposing human beings much less to the mercury."
But there's another problem. You can't just throw CFL bulbs in the trash. They have to be recycled, at special facilities like this one in Stoughton, Massachusetts, run by Veolia Environmental Services.
Barry Jordan, a National Sales Manager for Veolia said, "we recycle 100 percent of every CFL. So it is truly turning waste into a resource."
But recycling a light bulb is something most people don't think about.
Jordan said, "I think the vast majority are not getting recycled right now."
Rep. Markey said, "this compact florescent light bulb era is just beginning and a lot of public education is going to be necessary." But many say, with mercury in the bulbs, they'd rather not use them in the first place.
As Tom Heim said, "people have to be aware that they're dangerous if they do break. And they do break."
If you are uncomfortable with the mercury in CFL bulbs, you can search for alternative energy saving light bulbs, such as LED bulbs.
LED bulbs do not contain mercury and are actually more energy efficient than CFL bulbs.
LED bulbs and other alternatives are expensive, and can be hard to find, but light bulb manufacturers are working on creating more mercury-free alternatives and the price is expected to drop as they grow in popularity.
After the story aired, Thomas Heim sent an additional comment:
My interest in the MANY problems with cfl's started in July of last year. We had a Compact Fluorescent Bulb EXPLODE three months after installation. I turned the switch to our floor lamp ( with the 3-way cfl) to the first position, nothing happened. I turned the switch to the second position and again, the light did not come on, but we heard a very audible clicking sound coming from the cfl base. I immediately turned the lamp off. I tried to turn it on several more times with the same result. I thought it might be dangerous, so I decided to leave it alone. I then got up from our love seat, that was right next to the before mentioned floor lamp and was about 6 feet away when I heard a loud POP. I turned around to see vapor coming out of the lampshade and glass flying in all directions. My wife, who was on the apposite side of the love seat had glass shards all over her. Thank God she was not hurt and that I had gotten up from where I had been sitting, within inches of the floor lamp and the lampshade just above eye level.
As this NECN story indicated, we ignorantly used a vacuum to clean up the smaller pieces of glass( we carefully picked up the big stuff) and as stated spread mercury back into the room air. We put what was left of the bulb in a plastic bag. Check out mane.gov ( bureau of remediation and waste management) for the best clean up recommendations. I have sent 2 emails to SYLVANIA about this problem and did not receive a response. I'm sure if I had gotten glass in my eye and my lawyer had contacted them, we would have gotten an immediate response. One explanation of cfl's breaking during use is prior damage. I am sure that after we purchased the bulb it was not dropped or damaged in any way.
I know that many people are skeptical about this problem and that cfl's contain only a small amount of mercury, around 5mg., but I would suggest you use caution when cleaning up. I don't know how much is known about side effects or long term injury to small children and pets. My employer sarcastically told me he played with mercury from broken thermometers when he was young and he is fine. (a matter of opinion). I would think it is best to err on the side of caution! Thanks for reading!
