How to dispose of energy-saving light bulbs

Classic incandescent lamps are replaced by more modern fluorescent varieties. Energy-saving options use less electricity, so the cost of their purchase pays off after 3-6 months after purchase. Fluorescent lamps are convenient, compact, but have one significant drawback, because of which a burnt out product cannot be thrown into an ordinary trash can.

Hazardous Filler

Consumers should be aware that every energy-saving product purchased in a store is guaranteed. If the lamp has served less than 6-12 months, it can be exchanged for a new one. The seller must present a check and a box with the date of production. Did the lamp run out of time and burn out? We will have to look for enterprises engaged in the disposal of such waste.

Why can't the lamp be thrown away with the rest of the garbage? Fragile glass may break upon impact, and then mercury vapor will seep into the ground and soar in the air. People, including owners who will walk next to the house, will have to breathe dangerous substances. Mercury poisons the human body: the digestive organs and respiratory system are disrupted, the kidneys and heart suffer. A few broken lamps are enough to get to the hospital with serious intoxication. Children and animals are more sensitive to mercury fumes, for which 1-2 mg of the substance is enough to be poisoned.

Where to go

Energy-saving lighting devices should be put in a separate garbage bag, and preferably in a sealed package, and make sure that they do not break. With waste, the owner of the apartment goes to the nearest REU or DEZ, which is obliged to accept the lamp for free and without objection. An alternative is the local housing office, which should have special cardboard boxes for storing and transporting fluorescent devices. They are sorted by size and height, placed in separate cells, and then sent to the plants involved in the neutralization and processing of mercury waste.

If stubborn bureaucrats refuse to fulfill their direct duties, they should be reminded of the order of the government under number 949-RP, signed in May 2010. In accordance with the law on the transportation and disposal of waste lamps, individuals can donate energy-saving varieties to REU for free, but in small quantities.

What to do to companies and firms

Owners of enterprises and offices cannot use the services of the DEZ. They must independently enter into an agreement with factories or companies that will pick up used lamps and transport them to special places. You can find the address and contact details of the nearest collection point on the Greenpeace website, where you can also welcome poor quality operation and improper disposal of mercury-containing lighting fixtures.

Companies that work directly with the supplier may enter into a special contract. For a fee, the company will take products that have expired or that have burned out.

Lamp crashed: emergency measures

If the glass bulb is damaged, the energy-saving lamp should be expelled from the room and the children should be taken away.Close the door or curtains so that mercury does not spread throughout the house. Open the window for at least 20 minutes to weather hazardous fumes.

Work with the remains of the lamp should one person. Wear rubber gloves and a gauze bandage, a damp cloth will do. Armed with two pieces of cardboard: one instead of a scoop, the second to rake glass fragments. Pour the remains of a broken lamp into a sealed container or a jar of water, put in a garbage bag.

Wipe the floors in the room with a solution of potassium permanganate or sprinkle with bleach. Take the remnants of the energy-saving lamp in the DEZ. If such an organization was not near, you can call the Ministry of Emergency Situations and find out what to do with a broken fluorescent lamp.

Energy-saving devices are not as dangerous as thermometers, so do not worry. Enough ventilation and mopping. If pieces of the lamp hit the carpet, it should be taken out and knocked out from the wrong side. Leave for several hours or a day in the open air.

Broken glass flasks must not be buried in the ground or thrown into garbage containers. They also do not recommend storing houses. Residents of large cities can call a special team that will remove the remains of an energy-saving lamp, check the concentration of mercury in the air and determine if the carpet or sofa near which the fluorescent device crashed is dangerous for apartment owners.

Disposal Features

In small towns and villages, either the people themselves or the volunteers are engaged in the disposal of fluorescent lighting fixtures. Sometimes neighbors can cooperate, collect a certain number of lamps and take them to the district center.

Some office workers bring used energy-saving appliances to work and rent to the company. Check with your main electrician or manual about this disposal option. The consciousness of citizens is sometimes not only approved, but also encouraged.

Disposal of fluorescent lamps is a difficult and troublesome task, so most people prefer not to bother. But each lighting device thrown out in accordance with the rules not only preserves the environment, but also protects the owner from an administrative fine.

Video: how to properly dispose of energy-saving light bulbs