What to Do with a Broken CFL Bulb

Mercury poisoning was the reason for the term "mad as a hatter" and even though extreme exposure isn't as common today as it was in past history, mercury is still dangerous. Modern CFL (Compact Fluorescent Light) bulbs contain a small amount of mercury in the sealed tubes and even a small amount can pose a hazard to humans, pets and groundwater. The next time you break a CFL, use these steps to properly clean up and dispose of the bulb as per EPA recommendations.

Air out the room after a break or spill
The first step after the breakage of a CFL bulb containing mercury is to air out the room where the break or spill occurred. Keep pets and humans out of the room. Open a window and shut off the forced air or heat. Allow 15 minutes before returning to the room.

Cleaning up broken CFL bulb on hard surfaces
Use a piece of stiff paper or thin cardboard to scoop up the broken bits of the CFL bulb. Don't just dump these items into your trash can. Place the broken bits and paper or cardboard pieces into a glass jar with a metal lid (like a canning jar) or a sealed plastic bag (like a zipper seal bag).

Use the sticky side of a length of duct tape to pick up any remaining pieces of glass or residue from the broken CFL bulb. Place this piece of tape into the jar or plastic bag with the broken pieces.

Wipe the area with damp paper towels or wet wipes then place the used towels or wipes into the glass jar or plastic bag with the broken bulb pieces.

DO NOT use a vacuum or a broom to clean up any of these pieces on a hard surface as they can miss pieces and push them to other parts of the room without your knowledge.

Cleaning up broken CFL bulb on a rug or carpeted surface
Start by picking up pieces of the broken bulb and placing them into a glass jar or plastic bag. Use a piece of duct tape to pick up any small pieces of the bulb or other residue.

On carpet you may vacuum to pick up small, unseen bits of the broken bulb after you have removed all visible pieces. After vacuuming, you must remove the bag and place it in the glass jar or sealed plastic bag. If your vacuum uses a canister instead of bags, wipe it down with damp paper towels then dispose of the towels in the jar or bag.

Cleaning up broken CFL bulb on bedding, clothing or other soft materials
If the CFL bulb has broken on top of clothing, a bed or some other soft surface, use these steps for cleanup. First rule, if clothing or bedding has come into contact with the mercury powder that is found inside CFL bulbs, the clothing or bedding should be disposed of to eliminate contamination. These items should not be washed in your washing machine but should be placed in a sealed bag or glass container. This is to ensure that the mercury powder does not contaminate your washing machine or enter and pollute the sewage or groundwater system.

Clothing that has not come into contact with the mercury powder can be washed. This includes the clothing you wore while cleaning up the broken CFL bulb--unless the clothing came into direct contact with the mercury powder. Shoes may be wiped with wet wipes or a damp towel. Wipes or towels should be placed in the glass jar or plastic bag for disposal.

Disposal of broken CFL bulb and cleanup materials
Check with your local authorities about proper disposal of broken CFL bulbs in your area. Some areas require broken CFL bulbs to be taken to a proper recycling facility while others allow you to place the bags or jars into the regular trash pickup.

Wash your hands thoroughly after cleanup and after handling any disposal materials.

The next several times you vacuum the area where the break occurred, turn off the forced air or heat to the room. Open a window and allow the room to air out while you vacuum and for an additional 15 minutes afterward.

Source:
http://www.epa.gov/cfl/cflcleanup.html