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Question on Fluorescent Tube Bulbs?
So, I know I've asked before, but I would like somemore feedback. I do have OCD, and I think it's what makes it more hard for me but here goes: Are the tube and spiral bulbs extremely dangerous to humans? Also if one breaks, is that person contaminated? Can I not touch or shake hands with them and are the objects they touch "contaminated"? I always feel if I touch or shake hands with others it's happened to that I maybe "contaminated" and get sick. Also if I walk by floors, I feel my shoes and socks are "contaminated" and my feet and legs. I've been freaking out ALOT about this, it's is always on my mind and bothers me daily.
I also notice now that because a friend that broke 2 flourescent tubes, everytime his shoes touches/contacts the side of my leg, it seems as though I came into contact with mercury, and other toxic stuff although he cleaned the area. Is this legit or is it my OCD making me this way??
1 Answer
- T CLv 77 years agoFavorite Answer
There is a small amount of mercury in florescent bulbs ….but you are over reacting.
First consider almost all tuna has a small amount of mercury ….people for years had fillings with mercury …you may have even kissed one. And then there is the son of a dentist (I won’t mention any names ….TC) who use to put it in the shaker and play with it all the time ….and he is normal ….somewhat.
↓ from the internet
The only time you even have a chance of inhaling the mercury vapor in a CFL is if it breaks, and even then, your risk is very limited. If you clean it up thoroughly and quickly (with a broom, not a vacuum, since vacuums can expel it into the air), seal all the debris in a plastic bag, and dispose of it at an approved site (see sidebar), there's barely any risk at all of inhaling a damaging dose of mercury.
Airborne release rates following a break were low, they reported online July 6 in Environmental Engineering Science. A 13-watt lamp (which has a light output equivalent to a 60-watt incandescent bulb) released from 0.04 to perhaps 0.7 milligrams of mercury during the first 24 hours. This suggests that exposures should be negligible if the pieces are immediately picked up, nestled in paper and then discarded in a zip-it-up plastic bag or a sealed glass jar. To play it safe, the authors recommend also ventilating the room so that any residual gas shed by missed shards of glass won’t accumulate.
• — The mercury in a bulb undergoes chemical changes over time as it’s used, rendering it less toxic. Explains Li, the mercury oxidizes, turning it into a solid that will not volatilize. Therefore, an unused bulb poses a significantly bigger pollution risk than is one near the end of its life.
• — Bulbs produced by the major manufacturers since 2008 meet or far exceed the mercury-reduction goal set by the National Electric Manufacturers Association of 5 milligrams per CFL for lamps 25 watts or lower. In fact, most bulbs had less than 2.5 milligrams.
• — For the most popular, 13-watt CFLs, mercury concentrations varied dramatically between brands, from 0.17 to 3.6 milligrams.
