Section 3
Cleanup Procedure for Accidental Bulb
Breakage
The cleanup procedure is identical to the procedure
used to clean up compact fluorescent (CFL) or
fluorescent tube lights. These lights contain a small
amount of mercury sealed within a glass tube. Breaking
these types of lights will release mercury and mercury
vapor. The broken bulb can continue to release mercury
vapor until it is cleaned up and removed.
To minimize exposure to mercury vapor, the EPA
(Enviromental Protection Agency) recommends the
following cleanup and disposal steps.
This cleanup guidance represents the minimum actions
recommended to clean up a broken light containing
mercury, and will be updated if the EPA identifies more
effective cleanup practices.
The latest EPA procedures can be viewed on their
website at www.epa.gov/cfl/cflcleanup.html.
Part Number 000008463 Rev01 4/15
BEFORE CLEANUP
•
Have people and pets leave the room, and avoid the
breakage area on the way out.
•
Open a window or door to the outdoors and leave the
room open for 5 - 10 minutes.
•
Shut off the central forced air heating/air conditioning
(H&AC) system.
•
Collect materials you will need to clean up the broken
bulb:
A. Stiff paper or cardboard
B. Sticky tape (e.g., duct tape)
C. Damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes (for
hard surfaces)
D. Glass jar with a metal lid (such as a canning jar)
or a seal-able plastic bag(s)
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.
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