What to do if an energy-saving lamp breaks? What to do if a fluorescent energy-saving lamp breaks? How to remove a broken energy-saving lamp.

Energy-saving lamps are much more profitable than conventional incandescent lamps, in addition, Russian Federation a law was passed on the gradual withdrawal of the latter from use. The most popular “housekeeper” option is the compact fluorescent lamp (CFL), it has a long service life and consumes much less energy with better color rendition. However, such lighting devices have a serious drawback - a health hazard under certain conditions.

When is a lamp dangerous to life and health?

Energy-saving compact fluorescent lamps contain mercury. When it heats up and turns into a gaseous state, it passes through electric current, this causes the device to glow. When mercury vapor is contained in the confined space of the lamp filament, it can in no way cause harm to humans or the environment. However, if the gas or particles of the metal itself become airborne, it can have negative health effects.

Poisoning with the substance causes the following symptoms:

general weakness;
fatigue;
all signs of intoxication (vomiting, abdominal pain, nausea);
damage to the central nervous system;
damage to the liver, kidneys and other internal organs;
lethal outcome due to high concentrations of mercury and its compounds in the air.

The amount of mercury in lamps

You can determine how much mercury is in it by studying its composition on the packaging. Russian and Chinese manufacturers produce lighting elements containing from 3 to 5 mg liquid metal. Lamps of European brands use amalgam - alloys that contain mercury. In its solid state, the substance is safe, but when heated it turns into vapor; if the lamp explodes during operation, its harmful compounds will be released into the air.

To understand how dangerous a broken one is, you need to know the maximum permissible concentration of a pollutant in the air.

According to the hygienic standards GN 2.1.6.1338-03 “MPC of pollutants in atmospheric air populated areas”, Section II, the maximum permissible concentration of mercury and its compounds is considered not dangerous to life, health of a person and his future offspring if it is 0.0003 mg/m³.

Let's consider how much this value can exceed the norm by simple example. Let's assume that a light bulb containing 5 mg of mercury breaks in a room with an area of 20 m² and a ceiling height of 3 m. Total area the room in which the contamination occurred is 60 m³. After calculation, it is clear that the concentration of the harmful substance is 0.083 mg/m³, which is 276 times more than the permissible limit.

Important to know! Mercury and its vapors may initially not show their negative influence on the body. This is a substance that has the ability to accumulate in tissues and organs. When enough of it accumulates, signs of poisoning begin to appear.

Mechanical removal of harmful substances

If energy-saving lamps contain mercury, damage to their integrity can be hazardous to the environment and people. If such a problem arises, strict regulations must be followed to clean the premises from harmful substances and dispose of materials.

To avoid vapor poisoning, follow these steps:

tape;
wet sponge;
syringes;
wet cloth and cardboard.

You need to assemble absolutely all the elements, including the base. Place them in a jar with a solution of potassium permanganate, and send all the items used for cleaning there. Close the jar tightly with a lid and take it to a cool, dark room.

Chemical treatment

In order for mercury residues to cease being harmful to health, all surfaces in the room must be treated special compounds. The goal is for the mercury to react with chemical components to form mercury salts that can be easily washed off. You can use the following solutions:

potassium permanganate and water: add 2 g of potassium permanganate to 1 liter of water;
iodine solution: for 1 liter of water you need to take 100 ml of iodine;
soap and soda: take 400 g per 10 liters of water baking soda and 400 g of soap solution, mix everything thoroughly;
chlorine-containing: regular “Belizna”, “Domestos” and other chlorine-containing detergents are suitable.

All surfaces need to be treated with these solutions every 4-6 hours for 3 days. Special attention It is worth paying attention to hard-to-reach places, such as niches under furniture, cracks in the floor, and far corners.

The more thoroughly you carry out demercurization (removal of mercury residues), the greater the chance of not suffering from its leakage.

It is strictly prohibited when cleaning:

Special services for demercurization

Specialists from companies involved in demercurization can remove harmful substances indoors. They not only perform mechanical and chemical cleaning of rooms, but also measure the concentration of mercury in the air. Using them you can find out whether it is suitable for use. upholstered furniture, carpets and other items that are difficult to mechanically and chemically treat.

The cost of services from such companies is rather high, but they guarantee the complete removal of volatile and solid harmful substances from the premises.

You can find phone numbers for companies in a city directory or on the Internet. However, please note that such services are only available in large cities.

What to do with waste after cleaning

When you have successfully carried out demercurization, it is quite time to logical question on waste disposal. Whole energy-saving lamps are collected in special eco-containers installed in big cities. Large companies enter into contracts with companies that take away lots of used lighting fixtures for recycling.

At special plants, of which there are now more than 50 in Russia, demercurization of raw materials is carried out using hydrometallurgical or thermal technology. After this, the neutralized glass, metal and other particles are reused.

But disposing of a jar of water and lamp residue is not so easy. Waste of the first hazard category can only be handed over to the unified duty and dispatch service under the Ministry of Emergency Situations. If you do not want to look for one, you can contact a demercurization company.

It is worth noting that employees of public and private companies involved in recycling energy-saving lamps willingly accept waste and even thank conscientious citizens for not throwing the remains into a landfill.

How to prevent mercury leakage

No one is immune from chips and cracks in energy-saving lighting fixtures. However, every user of compact fluorescent lamps should know that they should not be thrown away with other waste. Don't be lazy to find special item Taking such lamps will help preserve the health of millions of people.

If you are afraid that the lamp will break indoors, you can use analogues that do not contain mercury. These are gas-discharge and LED lighting devices. However, their cost will be several times higher than the cost of CFLs.

You can also choose new generation fluorescent lamps that do not contain liquid mercury. They are released European manufacturers, information about the absence of harmful substances is indicated on the packaging.

Let's sum it up

Energy-saving fluorescent lamps are the most popular among consumers, as they save energy and are inexpensive compared to their LED counterparts. However, these devices have a big drawback - the presence of mercury or its particles in the composition.

This substance becomes dangerous only when the glass body of the light bulb is damaged. If it remains intact throughout its entire service life, there is no risk to health.

If the integrity of the lamp body is damaged, mercury vapor and its solid particles can be completely removed from the room if all instructions are followed correctly. If the precautions are followed, no complications should arise. However, you should be careful and avoid breaking lighting fixtures that contain harmful substances.

Probably everyone has heard about fluorescent (energy-saving) lamps. About how efficient they are in operation, economical and durable. But almost nowhere is it said that these light sources contain such a metal as mercury, which is harmful to any living organisms. The metal itself is not dangerous; its harmful fumes act as poison.

Is there mercury in energy-saving lamps and how much is there?

Today, fluorescent and energy-saving lamps have begun to be used in various lighting devices. But not everyone realizes that these daylight sources require proper handling, since their operating principle is based on the use of mercury, which is contained inside the light bulbs.

If we recall our chemistry lessons, it is important to note that mercury itself as a substance does not pose a danger to humans; exposure to the vapors of this chemical element is dangerous.

Signs of exposure to mercury vapor:

Weakness;
Fatigue;
Dizziness.

It is worth noting that mercury vapor, with the listed symptoms, can cause a lack of appetite in a person. If the norm of mercury vapor is significantly exceeded, nausea and vomiting can be caused.

With prolonged exposure to mercury vapor, it is affected nervous system, internal organs and respiratory tract.

Depending on the volume, an energy-saving lamp may contain from 3 to 5 mg of mercury. According to the table, the maximum permissible norm(daily) is 0.0003 milligrams per cubic meter of air.

It follows from this that if an energy-saving (fluorescent) light bulb with a mercury content of 5 mg breaks, explodes or bursts in a room, suppose 20 m2, in which the ceiling height is 3 meters (room volume is 60 m3), then the mercury content vapors will exceed valid values hundreds of times.

What to do if an energy-saving light bulb breaks: demercurization

After a broken mercury lamp is discovered at home, it is necessary to carry out a series of sequential actions, according to which the metal itself (mercury) and harmful fumes are completely removed from the room.

Sequence of actions:

Ventilate the room;
Mercury collection;
Processing using chemical elements.

First of all, all occupants must leave the premises. In order for mercury vapor to evaporate naturally, it is necessary to open all windows for ventilation.

Pay attention! After treating the room, it is necessary to ventilate the entire apartment for half an hour.

The next thing to do is collect the mercury. The best option To collect mercury, you will use a rubber bulb, tape, thick brushes and paper. This way you can collect the mercury completely. Using a broom or vacuum cleaner to collect mercury is prohibited.

All mercury that is collected must be disposed of along with the light bulb. To do this, use a glass jar with a screw-on lid.

After this, it is necessary to chemically treat the room. This should be done with a solution of potassium permanganate (2 g per 1 liter), iodine solution or substances containing chlorine compounds.

For several days, treat the area where the mercury was located with the solution, after which (after 6 hours), the resulting mercury salts are washed off with any soap solution.

An energy-saving lamp broke: mercury disposal

After the mercury has been collected and the room has been cleaned, the question arises of disposing of the remains of the light source (lamp) and the mercury itself. For this, there are special rules that must be followed.

List of rules:

It is prohibited to throw mercury into waste containers;
It is unacceptable to dispose of mercury by flushing it down the drain.

It is worth noting that it is necessary to ensure the storage of mercury and the remains of the light source for some time. This is done using any sealed glass container, since glass does not enter into chemical reaction with mercury.

First of all, it is necessary to take the collected mercury, glass, clothing and coatings that have been exposed to mercury to a recycling center.

If such an organization does not exist, then you should contact a single duty dispatch service. The telephone number of this organization can be found in the directory of your city.

Important to know! Exists large number private companies whose work is aimed at recycling harmful substances.

Provided that you live in a small town and there are no such companies and organizations in it, you should contact the nearest branch of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. This organization is engaged various types works

It is worth understanding that if you throw mercury in the trash or wash it down the drain, then its fumes can subsequently disturb the surrounding ecology.

If an energy-saving lamp breaks: possibilities for eliminating such situations

I want to save money on everything. In this case, savings are achieved using energy-saving lamps, which, unlike incandescent lamps, consume several times less electricity. But the content hazardous substances in these light bulbs makes you think about the advantages of using them.

Modern technologies do not stand still, therefore, alternative light sources have replaced fluorescent lamps. These sources, with the same energy costs, are capable of producing more Sveta.

Alternative light sources:

Mercury-free fluorescent lamps;
LEDs.

Modern technologies not only allow us to develop something new, but also make it possible to improve the old. In this case, this applies to fluorescent lamps.

In such light sources, mercury is dissolved in metals, which can significantly reduce the toxic qualities of this chemical element.

It is worth noting that one of the alternative ways to replace fluorescent lamps is the use of LED lamps. And these light sources have several positive qualities.

For example, with low power consumption, they provide optimal luminous flux. These light sources operate from low-voltage networks (12 and 24 Volts), which additionally makes it possible to secure the use of this technology. LEDs allow you to customize them not only by intensity, but also by the color of the glow, which makes it possible to illuminate and decorate the space.

If an energy-saving light bulb breaks, what to do (video)

This information allows you to find out which lamps contain mercury and how much they contain. It is worth noting that it is important not only to know the content of harmful substances in devices, but also how to eliminate and dispose of them.

Energy-saving light bulbs have long been firmly established in our lives. They are convenient, economical, easy to use, and even more aesthetically pleasing. Almost every apartment has at least one such lamp. But, as in the past, glass still remains a fairly fragile material. One careless movement, and the object falls out of your hands - the lamp breaks. People are accustomed to immediately grabbing a broom and removing the fragments, considering them the main source of danger. Sharp glass can indeed cause harm, but what's inside is much more dangerous.

Energy-saving light bulbs are divided into 2 types:

Fluorescent mercury lamps low pressure(gas discharge).
LED lamps.

There is a gas discharge lamp without a choke and a starter, as well as a fluorescent lamp with a choke and a starter (such lamps are usually used in industrial premises).

In terms of environmental friendliness, an LED lamp is safer than a fluorescent lamp, since the LED lamp does not contain mercury. At the same time, fluorescent lamps contain mercury.

They glow precisely due to its presence in a gaseous state. But people often buy mercury lamps; they are more popular because they cost less than LED lamps.

Fluorescent mercury lamps.

Fluorescent mercury lamp with choke.

What should you do if an energy-saving light bulb in your apartment breaks? How dangerous is this? We mean - a mercury lamp broke. If one mercury lamp breaks, there is no need to panic. Now, if about 10 of them crashed, then it would be dangerous. Just read up on how to properly dispose of leftover light bulbs.

What is it main danger from a broken light bulb? Mercury in the form of a gas immediately combines with the air, and upon contact with the respiratory system can cause poisoning. A mercury lamp has broken - it contains up to 5 mg. mercury, and this is quite enough to cause a slight deterioration in the health of any person.

An industrial lamp can contain up to four hundred milligrams of mercury. Chinese light bulbs contain the most dangerous chemical compounds, unlike in Europe, where the danger is somewhat reduced. The mercury content is considered dangerous - 0.25 milligrams per 1 cubic meter of room.

What you may feel if you are poisoned

The first thing you feel when poisoning is: dizziness, nausea, headache, general weakness. With prolonged inhalation of mercury vapor, a person can lose consciousness, even death. Vapors cause a disease such as chronic poisoning, which is characterized by trembling in the hands and disruption of the central nervous system. Blood appears in the gums and pain in the abdomen. You should not confuse mercury in a lamp with mercury from a thermometer. Remember, when a thermometer breaks, mercury appears in the form of balls and can roll into cracks and hard-to-reach places. If a light bulb breaks, you don’t need to look for balls.

Everyone knows that energy-saving lamps cannot be thrown into regular trash containers. Most people don't pay attention to these recommendations. In addition, unfortunately, there are not many places where you can take broken or deteriorated lamps. These problems cause high concentrations of mercury in the air.

Even in garbage containers Polluted air causes danger to humans. Substances accumulate in the body, affecting all systems. That is why it is strongly recommended to dispose of lamps in special places.

Let's figure out what to do if an energy-saving lamp breaks. Removing mercury from a room is called demercurization.

Close access to the room so that children, animals, and strangers do not get poisoned.
Open the windows to ventilate the room. Ventilation of the apartment is necessary for at least three hours; to be sure, it is better to leave the window open for half a day.
Carefully take the broken lamp, collect the fragments, while protecting your hands with disposable gloves. It is important to remember that when collecting fragments of a broken lamp, you cannot use the usual means for everyone, such as a broom, vacuum cleaner, or rag. Remember that after recycling glass, the object used to collect the glass also needs to be washed with potassium permanganate or a drop of iodine. It is most convenient to use a brush, sponge, tape, or something sticky that you can throw away later.
What to do if an energy-saving lamp breaks - do not throw the fragments into the trash, but put them in a separate bag, and tie it so that the mercury vapor does not come into contact with the air. It is most effective to place the fragments in a glass jar with cold water, it is advisable to add potassium permanganate to the water. Collect all the fragments and the base into a jar and close it tightly with a lid. For now, put it in a room where they don’t live.
Take the bag with the can to a special place for recycling energy-saving lamps.
After that we look again problem area, suddenly there were fragments left. You need to wash the floor with a chlorine-containing product.
There is no need to throw away clothes and shoes - just wash the clothes and disinfect the shoes.
If the fragments hit a soft surface: a sofa, fabric, clothing or carpet, then it is best to treat the item separately. Ventilate and shake out the item in the air. Mercury penetrates easily into porous surfaces. Inspect the room carefully. Have any chips or vapors gotten onto the surface of the sofa? If doubts remain, then calling specialists is mandatory. It is very difficult to remove mercury from fibrous objects on your own. If the content of harmful substances in the air of an apartment is exceeded, then it is better to get rid of things, no matter how expensive they are.
The place where the lamp broke must be treated with a solution of baking soda or iodine. This treatment is best done several times over five days.
The main thing is not to repeat the mistakes of a huge number of people who wash mercury down the drain or take the fragments to the trash.

Surface treatment methods

One of the most effective ways treatment is to wash the room with a manganese solution.

2 grams of potassium permanganate are dissolved in 1 liter of water, and the resulting liquid is used to treat floors and cracks. After this, the rag is also thrown away, and the liquid is left on the surface for at least six hours. Then the floor is washed again with warm soapy water.
A 40% chlorine solution is no less effective. Instead of bleach, you can use chlorine-containing cleaning products. A soap and soda solution helps a lot.
In addition, there are offers from various companies that can treat the room for a fee, or measure the level of mercury in the air. It is best to analyze the mercury content for things that have been hit by fragments. In this case, fabrics, clothing or carpet are placed in sealed packaging before analysis. A fleecy carpet is dangerous precisely because a huge number of small fragments can remain inside it. If you're not sure you can shake it out well, it's best to call a professional.

When purchasing another energy-saving light bulb, carefully read the recommendations on the box. Information gives full description lamp and its contents. Perhaps your light bulb does not contain mercury at all and is not as hazardous to health as it could be, and it is not dangerous to break. Today, lamps are actively produced with minimal or no mercury content. The purchase will cost more, but it will save you from health problems and hassle if the lamp is damaged.

Do not be afraid of peeling off the fluorescent coating of the lamp. Very often non-working or long-used lamps lose appearance, and the coating remains inside the glass pipe. This phenomenon is completely harmless to health. Only broken fragments cause serious harm to health.

It is important that broken light bulb- this is not a reason to seriously panic. A competent approach to this issue is quite enough. Proper cleaning, ventilation and disposal will eliminate all hazards. If it happens that several mercury-containing lamps break at once, this is a serious reason to call specialists and entrust them with cleaning the room.

It is caused by the presence of active mercury vapor, which emits an ultraviolet glow under the influence of an arc discharge. The use of such light bulbs is safe for humans, however, if the integrity of the bulb is damaged, there is a possibility of environmental contamination with mercury. To avoid it entering the human body, it is necessary to properly dispose of the broken light bulb itself and neutralize the dangerous active substance.

How to use a light bulb

using a mercury-based light bulb

At correct use Bulbs based on mercury vapor are completely safe for humans and the environment, provided they are in good working order:

Initially, you need to choose products from a trusted company that guarantees the quality of its products. Good manufacturer monitors the production of light bulbs at all stages of the process, so they arrive at the point of sale fully operational and with the appropriate certificates and codes.
Check the integrity of light bulbs before screwing them into fixtures. If a new light bulb has even minor cracks on the bulb, it is better to return it under warranty with a mandatory indication of the reason for the return.
Careful handling of the light bulb is the key to the integrity of the mercury flask. You only need to screw it in and out by holding it by the body; under no circumstances apply force to the glass component, because of this the flask may crack right in your hands.
Periodically check the light bulbs for integrity, especially for products that have regularly operated for more than one year.
Do not use very tight shades and lampshades - energy-saving lamps of more than 10 watts tend to get very hot, which is why in low-quality and defective products the electrical circuit may catch fire, which will lead to physical damage to the bulb - it may even explode.

What actions are dangerous?

danger when repairing energy-saving lamps

When a light bulb burns out, many people do not want to buy a new one, but try to fix it themselves. It often happens that in expensive light bulbs the failure is so minor that it can be solved by resoldering several capacitors. But we must remember that incompetent intervention in the design of the light bulb can lead to depressurization of the bulb, which contains mercury. This is especially dangerous in the hands, because there is a high probability of the toxic substance getting on the skin and straight into the lungs. Therefore, it is advisable to refrain from disassembling the light bulb, but to dispose of it correctly and buy a new one, while following the recommendations from the paragraph presented above.

Danger of a broken fluorescent lamp

Expert opinion

Alexey Bartosh

Ask a question to an expert

It is strongly recommended not to apply physical force to the flask - do not step on it, do not smash it on the floor or walls, and in no case throw it under thermal influence - in addition to a sharp release of mercury, there is a danger of small particles flying away broken glass V different sides.

What to do if the lamp does break

The fluorescent lamp is broken, what should I do? The main task is to keep people safe and environment from the harmful effects of mercury vapor. To do this, it is necessary to carry out a number of measures, which include the collection and neutralization of mercury, the removal of broken glass and the elimination of consequences.

broken fluorescent lamp

Demercurization of the premises

This is the name of the process of neutralizing mercury that entered the environment in open form. It consists of several steps:

The contents of the light bulb are volatile substance, which does not turn into balls (as mercury from Soviet thermometers does), and floats in the air. The room where the emergency occurred must be ventilated. The nuance is that ventilation should go outside, from the room, and not inside the home or office. The longer the room is ventilated, the better, at least 2 hours.
If possible, use the funds personal protection– gloves, goggles and chemical respirator. Not every home has such a set, so be sure to wear rubber or other waterproof household gloves.
From a sheet of thick paper (if you don’t have it, cardboard will do) make a scoop into which you can collect the fragments and mercury powder of a broken light bulb; it is convenient to do this with a rag if the fragments have fallen under the cabinet.
It is advisable to carry out collection with a damp, thick cloth. All fragments with mercury residues are moved with a rag onto a homemade scoop.
The rag, dustpan and collected garbage should be placed in thick white plastic bag and tie tightly. For reliability, one bag can be placed in several more bags so that the fragments do not cut the polyethylene (also, before moving the fragments into the bag, you can pour them back onto a rag and wrap it carefully).

Expert opinion

Alexey Bartosh

Specialist in repair and maintenance of electrical equipment and industrial electronics.

Ask a question to an expert

Important! Do not let the fragments lie on the floor for a long time. It is advisable to treat the place where the lamp fell and broke with a solution of potassium permanganate or any bleach based on active chlorine. If this happens on the carpet, then it needs to be taken outside, carefully but thoroughly shaken out, and left to air out as much as possible.

How to dispose of collected mercury

The bag must not be thrown into the trash or waste container. It must be handed over to the nearest organization that deals with mercury disposal. This could be a fire department, a housing office or a private office. They will accept your package free of charge or for a small fee, after which the mercury will be neutralized with special chemicals, and the glass was sent for recycling. These steps will prevent a broken light bulb from polluting the environment with mercury vapor, no matter how much mercury is contained inside.

Quick solution to the problem

To effectively remove small fragments, you can use stationery tape, gluing sticky strips to the place where the flask was broken. The glue collects glass well, which is invisible to the human eye due to its small size, and also glues remaining mercury, which increases the quality of assembly. Call special service for demercurization it is not worth it, because a small mercury content will not lead to a global environmental disaster.

What is prohibited to do

Under no circumstances should you collect fragments with a vacuum cleaner - it will spread mercury even more throughout the room, and the filters will be thoroughly and permanently saturated with its vapors;
also do not turn on the air conditioner and fan;
do not use a broom - dry material is well saturated with mercury, and glass fragments can get stuck in the broom itself;
Do not throw the trash bag down the drain.

What are the dangers of mercury poisoning?

Human exposure to mercury

Mercury belongs to the first class of hazardous substances according to the FKKO, so it causes a negative reaction in the body even in very small amounts of grams when a person inhales it. It has a cumulative property, that is, for short time Biological tissues accumulate mercury, and it is very difficult to remove it. Symptoms look like typical toxic poisoning:

high fever;
nausea and diarrhea with blood;
inflammation of the lungs and gums;
sharp pain in the abdomen.

Mercury is especially dangerous for pregnant women. Mild poisoning is manifested by apathy, drowsiness, bad mood and memory disorder. If such symptoms are observed after disposal of fragments, urgent hospitalization of the victim is necessary, where doctors will prescribe special substances that neutralize the harm of mercury in the body.

Can you get mercury poisoning from a broken light bulb?

YesNo

Recycling as a second life for a lamp

recycling of fluorescent lamps

Where does a broken light bulb go after the mercury is neutralized? It can serve as a material for the production of a new product, which significantly reduces production costs and preserves the environment. This occurs subject to the removal of the broken lamp to special institutions that work under an agreement with the manufacturers. Modern production compact fluorescent lamps are gradually being reduced due to the difficulty of recycling mercury, so the material will be used to produce a new trend in lighting technology - LED lamps.