Mercury Spill Information

General Information

• Concise, safe handling methods for spills can be found at epa.gov/mercury/spills/, or www2.epa.gov/cfl/cleaning-broken-cfl for CFLs.
• After a mercury spill, follow these steps immediately:
  • All people and pets should leave the room for up to 30 minutes. Open or vent windows to the room if possible. Do NOT turn on overhead fans. Turn OFF AC system while you take care of the spill. Shut the doors to the room with the spill if possible.
  • Take care to avoid direct contact with the spilled mercury when you re-enter the room. Wear nitrile, rubber, or latex gloves if you have them. Keep vented windows open and turn on exterior ventilation fans if possible.
  • Do NOT vacuum the contaminated area!
  • Clean-ups can be done easily on all floor types. You will need:
    • stiff paper or cardboard
    • Sticky tape (e.g., duct tape)
    • Damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes (for hard surfaces)
    • Glass jar with a metal lid (such as a canning jar) or a sealable plastic bag(s)
• Visit epa.gov/cfl for more information on CFLs.

For broken CFL bulbs

1. Carefully scoop up glass fragments and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place debris and paper/cardboard in a glass jar with a metal lid. If a glass jar is not available, use a sealable plastic bag. (NOTE: Since a plastic bag will not prevent the mercury vapor from escaping, remove the plastic bag(s) from the home after cleanup.)
2. Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder. Place the used tape in the glass jar or plastic bag.
3. Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place the towels in the glass jar or plastic bag.
4. Vacuuming of hard surfaces during cleanup is not recommended unless broken glass remains after all other cleanup steps have been taken. [NOTE: It is possible that vacuuming could spread mercury-containing powder or mercury vapor, although available information on this problem is limited.] If vacuuming is needed to ensure removal of all broken glass, keep the following tips in mind:
   1. Keep a window or door to the outdoors open;
   2. Vacuum the area where the bulb was broken using the vacuum hose, if available; and
   3. Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister) and seal the bag/vacuum debris, and any materials used to clean the vacuum, in a plastic bag.
5. Promptly place all bulb debris and cleanup materials, including vacuum cleaner bags, outdoors in a trash container or protected area until materials can be disposed of. Avoid leaving any bulb fragments or cleanup materials indoors.
6. Next, check with your local government about disposal requirements in your area, because some localities require fluorescent bulbs (broken or unbroken) be taken to a local recycling center. If there is no such requirement in your area, you can dispose of the materials with your household trash.
7. Wash your hands with soap and water after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing bulb debris and cleanup materials.
8. Continue to air out the room where the bulb was broken and leave the H&AC system shut off, as practical, for several hours.