Precaution with CFLs
Replacing standard incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs is one of the easiest things you can do to save energy and reduce global warming pollution. Because the bulbs contain mercury, it is important to take precautions when using them around children.
Tests conducted by the State of Maine have confirmed that breaking a compact fluorescent light bulb can pose health risks under certain conditions, especially for infants, pregnant women and young children.
Experts caution parents to avoid using CFLs in fixtures like table lamps that can easily be knocked over, especially in homes with children and pets. When a compact fluorescent light bulb breaks, you can reduce risks by using safe clean-up procedures: Ventilate the breakage area by opening a window. Keep pregnant women and children out the room while the breakage is cleaned up. Avoid using a vacuum cleaner or a broom for cleaning up the broken lamp. Parents should also consider removing carpeting or upholstered furniture if a compact fluorescent light bulb has broken on them, especially in an infant’s room.
As with most products, it is important that decision makers adopt precautionary environmental and health guidelines. For example, efforts should be made to reduce toxicity; and improve breakage resistance and longer lamp life. and recycling the lamps should be easy.
Keep in mind that CFLs are three times more efficient than standard incandescent bulbs. Using less energy reduces global warming pollution as well as mercury and other toxic emissions from coal-fired power plants. These are all reasons to keep using compact fluorescent light bulbs with precaution.