How to deal with the "mercury-containing" energy-saving lamps?

If you accidentally break a fluorescent light into a room, the mercury inside will be life-threatening. Mercury can evaporate at room temperature, and mercury vapor and mercury compounds are highly toxic. What should I do? Don't panic at this time, please follow the steps below to clean up.

The US Environmental Protection Agency sets a minimum level of safety for mercury consumption at 0.7 mg Hg/kg bw/week, and the World Health Organization recommends 3.3 mg Hg/kg bw/week. In other words, for an average adult weighing 50 kg, it is safe to continuously absorb mercury no more than 35-165 mg in a week. And a fluorescent contains less than 5 mg of mercury, so don't worry!

The â€œmercury-containingâ€ energy-saving lamps are broken like this:

The first step: vacate this area

Once the CFL is broken, make sure everyone leaves the room (especially pets), then open the window, close the door, and make sure to turn off the central air conditioner and wait for about 15 minutes.

Step 2: Find a sealable container

Look for a container that can hold a broken bulb, preferably a metal-covered glass bottle. If not, a plastic food container or even a sealable plastic bag can be used.

The third step: clean up the mess

Next you may want to use a broom to clean up the debris, but please do not do this! Any object that comes into contact with debris may be contaminated with mercury. You may also want to use a vacuum cleaner to remove debris, so please do not do so, so mercury may still be scattered into the air. The best way to do this is to pick up small pieces of broken glass with something like cardboard, which is easy to put in the previously prepared container. Then, try to use a piece of glue to pick up the finer slag, which may not be visible to you. White powder, in addition, it is very convenient to use a piece of bread. When you are finished, don't be dinner again.

Step 4: Clean the floor

Once you have cleaned all the slag on the floor, wipe the floor with a damp paper towel. The area you want to wipe is quite large, making sure you don't leave any white powder. Once you're done, seal all the tools used above in the container and put it outside. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water now.

Step 5: Let the room come out for a few hours

Although you can now ensure that the floor is spotless, there may still be traces of mercury vapor left in the air. It is best to open the window, turn off the air conditioner for a few hours, and be prepared to be better, right?

Step 6: Dispose of the collected debris

If there is a waste energy recycling center in the local area, it is best. If not, please don't throw it away as garbage. Because it is collected into the landfill, mercury may slowly infiltrate into the ground.

At present, there is no good collection and treatment in China, but you have other choices, that is, to buy LEDs, LEDs can provide better energy efficiency, longer life, and zero mercury in the bulb.

Dealing with broken fluorescent lights is indeed an annoying trifle, but it is also a good opportunity to upgrade home lighting.