Energy-saving light bulb crashed: first steps and disposal

In modern rooms, energy-saving lamps are increasingly used instead of accumulation pads. Energy is saved with them. But if an energy-saving light bulb crashes, is it dangerous? This phenomenon is considered threatening to human and animal health. Therefore, when operating these types of bulbs, you need to know what to do in this case.

Inside are mercury vapor or mercury amalgam, hazard class 1 components: they are present in the tube and fall outside when its integrity is violated. Therefore, if an energy-saving light bulb crashes, measures must be taken to safely remove it.

The benefits of light bulbs

The advantages of these products are as follows:

1. Low power consumption. Now the issue of payment for services is quite acute. The average performance for light is constantly increasing.
2. Durability. Compared to incandescent lamps, energy-saving work for a long time.
3. Low heat dissipation. Melting of a chandelier or lamp is excluded.
4. Saturated light output. Light bulbs emit light that is safe for the eyes.
5. Lighting according to personal preference. You can choose a warm yellow light or cold with a light blue tint.
6. Voltage drops do not affect durability.

With so many advantages, the products also have disadvantages. Lamps present a hazard to human health when broken. The negative effect is amplified if several products are damaged.

Effects

If an energy-saving light bulb crashes, what is the danger? Mercury vapors negatively affect health, as they can lead to chronic poisoning. This manifests itself in the form of trembling hands, gingivitis, disorders in the central nervous system. If the vapor concentration is large, then acute mercury poisoning is likely. This manifests itself in the form of weakness, abdominal pain, vomiting, bleeding gums.

Mercury in a vapor state is considered dangerous for children and pregnant women, so you need to know about actions in such a situation. One lamp does not cause severe harm, but this does not mean that safety measures can be ignored. If an energy-saving light bulb crashes, what should I do? Reviews indicate the need for quality processing of premises, clothes and shoes.

Symptoms of Poisoning

If safety rules are observed, the danger from mercury vapor is minimal. But sometimes the consequences are invisible. This can be detected after a few hours or days.

Symptoms of poisoning include the following:

1. Fatigue and headache quickly appear. With a strong concentration of the substance, trembling of the fingers, convulsions appear.
2. Disorders in the digestive system - frequent vomiting, pain in the abdomen.
3. The occurrence of non-infectious bronchitis.

Another problem is the long-term elimination of mercury from the body. With constant vapors, it accumulates. Therefore, if even a certain part of the above symptoms occurs, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Amount of mercury

If an energy-saving light bulb crashes in an apartment, how much mercury can come out? 1-400 mg of this substance is present in one light bulb. A health hazard will be with vapor concentrations in excess of 0.25 mg / cubic meter. In comparison, 2 g of mercury is present in a mercury thermometer.

Domestic and Chinese light bulbs include mercury vapors, while European products usually use a less hazardous mercury amalgam - an alloy with a different metal. The danger of one broken bulb is greatly exaggerated. But it’s important to know what to do to fix the accident. It is still important to carefully and accurately treat products of this kind.

A mercury thermometer is considered more harmful, since metal mercury in the form of small balls rolls under the baseboard, in the gap, under the furniture. So there is a prolonged poisoning of indoor air. In energy-saving lamps, mercury is in the form of steam, so you should not look for balls on the floor.

Necessary actions

What to do if an energy-saving light bulb crashes at home? The following actions are required:

1. Close the room, remove people and pets.
2. You should open the window, but close the windows in the remaining rooms so that there is no draft. This is the main event that should be done. Vaporous mercury should exit the room. Air should be at least 2 hours, and preferably 12-24 hours.
3. Cold water is poured into the jar, potassium permanganate is added, if any.
4. Wear rubber gloves or plastic bags on your hands.
5. Noticeable residues are collected in a jar, including the base.
6. Small glass, pieces of a luminescent coating are eliminated with a wet cloth or cotton swab, with which the surface is soaked. A rag and cotton wool are placed in a jar of water.
7. The bank should be closed and left in a dark non-residential premises. Then it is required to inform the Ministry of Emergency Situations, having learned where the waste is delivered.
8. It is necessary to inspect all areas where pieces from the lamp could penetrate.
9. The floor should be washed using a chlorine-based detergent and soap-soda solution.
10. Then you need to take a shower.

If an energy-saving light bulb crashes, you do not need to dispose of clothing and shoes. You just need to wash everything in a separate basin.

On the carpet

If the energy-saving light bulb on the carpet crashes - is it dangerous? The light bulb in this case is dangerous with small pieces of glass that can get stuck in the pile. All noticeable pieces must be collected as described above.

The carpet should be carefully twisted and removed to a place where there are no people, for example, in the woods, shake or knock out the product. For reliability, the carpet is left outdoors for a day.

Twisting

How to unscrew the base if the bulb is broken? First, de-energizing the lighting device is required. If the wiring is installed with several inputs, the power is turned off only in a specific area. In the absence of such a possibility, shutdown is performed in the entire apartment. An autonomous light source, such as a flashlight, is required. How to unscrew a broken light bulb, if only the base is left? The crashed central tube in the base is broken before dismantling. The procedure is performed in several ways:

1. Pliers. The edge of the cap is hooked with pliers. This part rotates counterclockwise. Metal often sticks due to rust. In this case, the damaged area is treated with cologne or other alcohol-containing liquid. After soaking, you can unscrew the part.
2. Disassembly. This method is not suitable for ceramic new products. But it can be used for carbolite elements, since they can be disassembled. Unscrewing must be done carefully, supporting the base with one hand. The cylinder must be removed, divided into 2 parts.
3. Plastic bottle. It must be heated under an open flame before melting. Care must be taken, otherwise hot plastic will get on the skin. The warmed neck must be directed to a metal base. It is necessary to wait for the plastic to solidify, and then pull the lamp out of the cartridge.
4. Champagne cork. This method is similar to the principle indicated above. It is necessary to slightly sharpen the edges of the cork with a knife, removing the chamfer. Then the cork is inserted into the base of the lamp. Then you need to unscrew the base to remove it.
5. Potatoes. This method is especially relevant when fragments protrude from the base. Potato should be cut into 2 parts. One should be taken in hand and put pieces of glass on it. And then the cap is unscrewed.

Disposal

If an energy-saving light bulb crashes in a toilet or in another room, disposal is required. For processing, special technologies are used. Broken lamps should be placed in sealed bags made of polyethylene or in closed glass jars. They are handed over to a reprocessing plant with outdated lamps.

There are collection points for collecting mercury-containing devices. Ecoboxes can also be installed. Dispose of the lamps in containers, which make them airtight. Demercurization is performed using the hydrometallurgical and thermal methods.

Hydrometallurgical processing

This procedure includes the following steps:

1. The lamps are crushed in a ball mill.
2. Then a liquid reagent is added and grinding continues.
3. The liquid fraction is discharged from the mill and sent to the mercury recovery unit.

Thermal demercurization

The procedure involves grinding the lamps, heating the cullet until the stage when the mercury takes on a vaporous form. Condensation of the vapors and their purification are also carried out. The metal parts of the lamps are divided into concentrates for non-ferrous metallurgy:

• aluminum;
• copper-nickel;
• copper-zinc;
• solder;
• lead.

Crushed glass is moved to a landfill with household waste. It can also be added as a filler to concrete if there are no mercury residues in it.

All of these methods may not provide purification of solid fractions to the MPC. In addition, effluents appear in which there is always some kind of mercury and other harmful substances. The modern methods include lamp recycling. It is carried out on special modules where there is no sewage, and the remaining mercury vapor is captured and processed in an absorption column. As a result, harmful emissions into the environment are excluded, and there are no toxic chemical components in solid waste.

How to determine that there is no mercury

If it is doubtful that part of the drops of mercury could not be removed from the premises, it is necessary to call specialists for laboratory measurements. The demercurization service examines the air in the infected room and determines where the mercury could be. Specialists will provide recommendations on how to protect the premises from hazardous metal.

In such measurements, it becomes necessary if fragments fell on furniture and carpets. Particles of mercury drops are difficult to remove due to the porous surface of the products. If an increased level of air pollution is detected by laboratory analysis, a decision must be made whether to throw these things away or endanger health.

What is forbidden to do

If an energy-saving light bulb crashes, you cannot:

1. Switch on the air conditioner as the vapor settles in the appliance.
2. Collect residues with a vacuum cleaner.
3. Use a whisk, as inaccurate movements scatter small pieces of glass.
4. Pour a jar of water and glass residues into the sewer.
5. Throw it in a landfill or in a garbage chute.

Do not dispose of waste lamps with household waste. They must be handed over to special points.