EPA Cleanup 2010 & 2011 Versions Compared

Cleaning Up a broken CFL – two EPA versions – one before and one after the 2010 elections

EPA version June 2010 – before the election

Before Cleanup:

• Air Out the Room
• Have people and pets leave the room, and don’t let anyone walk through the breakage area on their way out.
• Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
• Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one.

Cleanup Steps for Hard Surfaces:

• Carefully scoop up glass pieces 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.
• Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place towels in the glass jar or plastic bag.
• Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.

Cleanup Steps for Clothing, Bedding and Other Soft Materials:

• If clothing or bedding materials come in direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from inside the bulb that may stick to the fabric, the clothing or bedding should be thrown away.
• Do not wash such clothing or bedding because mercury fragments in the clothing may contaminate the machine and/or pollute sewage.

EPA version January 25, 2011 – after the election of November 2010

1.  Before clean up:

• Have people and pets leave the room.
• Air out the room for 5-10 minutes by opening a window or door to the outdoor environment.
• Shut off the central forced air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one.
• Collect materials needed to clean up broken bulb.

2.  During clean up:

• Be thorough in collecting broken glass and visible powder.
• Place cleanup materials in a sealable container.

3.  After clean up:

• 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 clean up 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.

If these bulbs are so “safe”, why do you have to go to this extent to clean them up?

Why did the “instructions” change after the election?