Moving can be hazardous to your stuff. When you pack hundreds of things into a single box, something is bound to break, even if you take extra care to preserve it. Moving can also be hazardous to your health if the broken object in question is a compact fluorescent lightbulb (CFL). Due to my clumsy nature and apparently inadequate packing, I recently broke 2 CFL's. The great thing about these bulbs is that they save a ton of electricity. I plan to replace every bulb in the house with a CFL. They use about 75 percent less energy than a traditional light bulb, they last about 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs, and a test performed by Popular Mechanics in 2007 found that theCFL bulbs scored higher for overall quality of light than the incandescent control bulbs. Every store sells them now at various sizes, colors, wattage, and prices. You can even get them free from Home Depot on Earth Day. The problem with CFL's is that they are classified as hazardous waste due to their mercury content. So what do you do when one burns out (after about a 5 to 10-year lifespan) or breaks?
*Do not inhale the vapor.
*Do not use a vacuum for cleanup.
*Sweep the pieces together with a brush or broom -- not with your hand.
*Cleanup glass with a wet rag or towel and place the towel, along with the pieces, into a sealed
plastic bag.
Dispose of expended or broken CFL's at your local Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Site. Contact your city for information on when and where this occurs. If your local HHW Collection Site does not accept CFLs, check with local authorities. Many CFL retail outlets also offer safe disposal or recycling. Find information on your local HHW site.
UPDATE: Home Depot, Lowes, and IKEA now have CFL recycling bins in their stores!
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