In January, Bijal and Erin have been working away at their lighting video! The topic for their video is proper recycling and disposal of CFLs – a very important topic that unfortunately not many people know much about. Here are some important points that we touch on:
– CFLs contain less than 5 milligrams of mercury, about the equivalent of the period at the end of this sentence.
– To clean up a broken CFL, gather up the pieces with a broom and dust pan (Don’t vacuum! This can cause little particles of mercury and aerosol into the air) then use a damp paper towel to pick up the remaining pieces. Drop the broken CFL bits into a plastic bag.
– Recycle your CFLs! We don’t want mercury contaminating the waste stream, soil, or water table. Bring your CFLs to your local Home Depot, Lowes, Whole Foods, or transfer station. They should all take your CFLs for free!
