Fight Global Warming with Toxic Mercury Lamps

Since congress bans incandescent bulbs to save the planet, we must use energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamps. However they can pose a small risk of mercury poisoning to infants, young children, and pregnant women if they break, two reports concluded yesterday.

The study recommended that if a compact fluorescent breaks, get children and pets out of the room. Ventilate the room. Never use a vacuum, even on a rug, to clean up a broken compact fluorescent lamps. Instead, use stiff paper such as index cards and tape to pick up pieces, and then wipe the area with a wet wipe or damp paper towel. If there are young children or pregnant woman in the house, consider cutting out the piece of carpet where the lamp broke as a precaution. Place the shards and cleanup debris in a glass jar with a screw top and remove the jar from the house.

Can we save the planet with lamps? Maybe we must save incandescent bulbs to fight the global cooling next time.

Boston Globe: Mercury leaks found as new bulbs break