Installation for the disposal of mercury lamps. How to dispose of energy saving lamps? How is the substance stored?

Instead of incandescent lamps, energy-saving (fluorescent) lamps are increasingly being used. They are much more profitable, help save energy. New lamps are also subject to recycling, like the old ones. Only the technology for destroying lighting fixtures is different. You need to know how to dispose of energy-saving light bulbs so as not to harm environment and people. Fluorescent lighting fixtures contain mercury. So energy-saving lamps must not be disposed of with other waste.

Recycling energy-saving light bulbs

Mercury is very dangerous and toxic substance. In energy-saving lamps, it does not pose a threat while it is behind glass. A discarded lamp is not dangerous until it is broken. If the glass is damaged, then poisonous fumes will be released into the atmosphere. For this reason, you can not throw fluorescent lamps into the garbage chute, containers for household waste. Moreover, it is unacceptable to store them at home in an urn or bucket. Such lamps should be disposed of at special enterprises where the necessary conditions are created.

First, the devices are separated into their component parts.

Everyone goes through their own recycling path.

Some of the recycled materials can then be reused.

Toxic and poisonous substances are poured with cement and sent to special burial places.

According to the legislation, failed fluorescent lamps must be accepted in ZhEKs and REU. There are also private companies that collect burnt or broken products. They then send them to factories. There, the phosphor, which contains mercury, is separated, then treated with demercurizing chemicals. Waste is covered with cement and packed in airtight containers.

Delivery of energy-saving light bulbs

The recycling process is quite expensive. Therefore, there are not many companies in Russia that assemble and sell energy-saving lamps, and enterprises for processing products. For destruction, they must be separated from other garbage and placed in an individual container.

Where to donate energy-saving light bulbs?

They can be transferred to the service departments of IKEA hypermarkets. These stores have special containers for this purpose.

Also, separate tanks are located in some cities in the directorates for the operation of buildings and repair departments. These organizations are required to accept burned out or broken fluorescent lamps.

Products are handed over to industrial organizations and enterprises that are engaged in the maintenance of electrical networks or lighting. These companies cooperate with firms for the disposal of toxic and poisonous household waste.

However, not all cities have well-known drop-off points for energy-saving lamps. And most citizens will not go to the other end of the city to hand over one lamp for recycling. Therefore, in many settlements there are special courier services that collect burnt out or broken luminescent devices. Phone numbers of such companies can be found on the Internet. Couriers come on call and pick up failed energy-saving lamps.

You can also contact the house management with a request to put special containers next to the garbage bins.

Some community members organize the collection of products containing mercury. To do this, they install small containers and then hand over the products themselves to state recycling points.

However, there are companies that charge money for such services, so only large companies work directly with them. industrial enterprises. You can hand over failed energy-saving lamps at battery collection points. They are properly disposed of there. It is much easier to negotiate with management in order to give products to a full-time electrician. His responsibilities include the transfer of lamps for further disposal.

Disposal features

Before throwing garbage, it must be sorted. You can't put it in one bucket food waste, batteries and used energy-saving lamps. They are packed in separate sealed bags. If there are no special containers nearby, then you can collect several lamps and then take them to collection points. If the product burned out and crashed at home, you can call the rescue service. Specialists will help to establish the level of security in the apartment and process the place of contact of the surface with a broken fluorescent lamp. It must not be thrown into the general waste chute. There is very little mercury in products, but it can accumulate in landfills in dangerous amounts, which will negatively affect the environment.

Where to take energy-saving light bulbs after use?

What to do if an energy-saving light bulb breaks at home?

If an energy-saving lamp breaks at home, you should immediately isolate the room from people and animals. It is enough to transfer them to another room. Next, you need to close the door to a dangerous room or tightly drape the inlet with curtains. In this case, mercury will not spread throughout the house. In the room where the lamp broke, you need to open the window for 20-30 minutes. During this time, toxic fumes will disappear from the room. It is important not to allow a draft so that the wind does not blow the fragments everywhere. To collect the fragments of the lamp, you need to attach a damp cloth or gauze bandage to your face, and put on rubber gloves on your hands. Take two pieces of thick cardboard. One will be used instead of a scoop, the other is raked up by fragments. They are poured into a jar of water or in a sealed package, then cleaned in garbage bag. If there is a carpet in the room, it must be shaken out fresh air and hang to ventilate on the balcony for several hours. The floors are thoroughly washed with potassium permanganate or bleach. After completing these steps, you need to call the Housing Office or the Ministry of Emergencies and clarify what to do with the fragments. Energy-saving lamps contain much less mercury than thermometers. There is approximately 30 mg inside luminescent products poisonous substance. In energy-saving lamps - only 5 mg, and in a thermometer almost 100 times more. Therefore, even if the fragments hit the carpet or floor, knocking out, ventilating the room and disinfecting the surfaces in it is enough to prevent the spread of toxic fumes. Many cities have special brigades who come on call, check an apartment or house for toxicity and pick up lamp fragments for disposal. If such services are not available, then you need to call the housing office or repair companies. Energy-saving products operate on mercury vapor. Despite the minimum amount in the lamps hazardous substances, they can cause serious poisoning if the protective shell (glass) is damaged. Poor-quality products that have lasted less than 6-12 months can be returned back to the store. This will solve the problem of how to dispose of the lamp yourself. You need to do this yourself only if the product burned out or crashed after the expected period of operation. Lamps must not be thrown away with others household waste, since mercury vapor enters the atmosphere, they even seep through the ground. As a result, everyone who will be near this place will have to inhale the poisoned air. From this, the kidneys, respiratory organs, and heart fail. Let's prevent this together by recycling responsibly hazardous waste. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfFi6aRIOQQ

Removal, processing and disposal of waste from 1 to 5 hazard class

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Today, at least one energy-saving light bulb can be found in every home. Utilization of energy-saving lamps and activities related to their neutralization is a serious problem throughout our country. Mercury-containing lighting contributes to significant energy savings, but, unfortunately, contains mercury, which is extremely dangerous for humans and the environment.

general characteristics

You can highlight the pros and cons of an energy-saving light bulb over a conventional incandescent lamp. Pros:

• significant energy savings, at least five times
• long warranty and operation period
• choice of lighting shade

• presence of mercury
• lack of absolute security due to fragile design
• the need for disposal through specialized organizations

In 2014, the Russian Federation signed the Minamata Convention on Mercury. According to which, from 2020, the production and import of products containing mercury will be prohibited.

Currently, people are interested in saving electricity not only in the form of lighting, but also heating. More recently, energy-saving heating installations have become popular in Russia, distinguished by their safe and economical operation. Their use is especially relevant for people with Vacation home where gas boilers are often used. The heating installation is easy to install and use, which indicates its undoubted advantage over its gas predecessor.

Since 2009, after the entry into force of the law on recycling, the use of incandescent lamps in the territory Russian Federation is gradually reduced. This contributes to energy conservation. When using this type of lighting, the question arises, where should energy-saving light bulbs be disposed of when they fail?

Disposal

Disposal of mercury lamps is mandatory for both physical and legal entities. It should not be thrown into a conventional waste container due to the presence of mercury vapor in energy-saving light bulbs that can poison all living things. If we talk about how much mercury is in an energy-saving lamp, then we can state with full confidence that its content is insignificant - about 1 - 25 milligrams. However, large volumes of hazardous waste may well pose a threat.

Mercury belongs to extremely harmful chemicals and belongs to the 1st hazard class. After damage to the product, mercury quickly evaporates and enters the airspace.

Her pairs are capable of causing defeat:

• kidney
• liver
• central nervous system

Given the danger of mercury, the question arises: where and how to dispose of energy-saving lamps after they have burned out? They must be handed over to specialized collection points or to your service organization, after putting them in a sealed plastic bag/box for storage of mercury waste. Transportation to the collection point is recommended to be entrusted to qualified specialists in order to avoid contact with mercury vapor.

How to dispose

In many regions of Russia there are no collection points for this type of waste. A light bulb from a lamp or chandelier is usually immediately sent to the trash can, and then to the garbage chute for household waste. Such behavior, according to Art. 8.2 of the Code of the Russian Federation "On Administrative Violations", is punishable by a fine of 10-30 thousand rubles.

Currently, in the yards of residential buildings, containers for collecting waste of hazard class 1 have begun to be installed, where equipment with the presence of mercury is disposed of. The maintenance and maintenance of such containers is carried out by management companies, TSN (HOA) and other organizations serving apartment buildings. Residential property owners have the right to choose this organization, and payment for services is included in the upkeep and maintenance of the house.

Where to dispose

Of course, at special enterprises involved in the processing of mercury-containing waste. Such plants have specialized equipment for recycling, for example, the installation - "Ecotrom-2". The productivity of such equipment is 300 units per hour.

Neutralization Technology

On the territory of Russia, two companies are known that supply the equipment necessary for the disposal of energy-saving light bulbs:

1. LLC Venture firm "Fid - Dubna" Installation "URL - 2M". A light bulb is destroyed in the installation chamber, and mercury vapor is pumped out using a vacuum system installation. Pumping out occurs through a low-temperature trap. Mercury condenses on its surface.
2. OOO NPP Ecotrom. Installation "Ekotrom - 2". The neutralization technology is based on blowing off the phosphor, which is carried out from the inner surface of the light bulb. The phosphor itself is collected by gas cleaning devices (cyclone and bag filter), and then localized in collections designed for this purpose, which are installed under it.

The following equipment is also used:

• German company Werec Gmbh
• Swedish company MRT
• by Scandinavian Recycling AB (Sweden)

It is recommended to take the used energy-saving lamp to a collection point, which in turn has a license for the disposal of waste of the first hazard class and has special equipment for this. Any DEZ or REU is obliged to accept the energy-saving light bulb you brought. This is justified by the Government Decree "On the organization of work on the collection, transportation and processing of used fluorescent lamps." To know where you need to dispose of energy-saving lamps in your city, contact your managing organization or call the Ministry of Emergencies.

Lazkov Andrey

The mass accumulation of energy-saving light bulbs in urban landfills will lead to the release of mercury into soil and water. Once in the ecosystem of a river or lake, mercury tends to accumulate in fish. The older and more fish the more mercury it contains. Toxic fumes can cause wide range various diseases, including brain, kidney and liver. Mercury vapor can cause increased fatigue, memory loss, sleep disturbances, and pain in the limbs. And long-term exposure can lead to chronic poisoning of the body.

Therefore, it is very important to properly dispose of energy-saving lamps, otherwise we can all face an ecological disaster!

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"Utilization of energy-saving lamps"

Scientific adviser: Vlasenko M.V., teacher of chemistry

The choice of this research topic was prompted by the suddenly formed a large number of"worked out" lamps. Throwing it in the trash was somehow ashamed and, after thinking, I decided to deal with this issue.

Why are mercury fluorescent lamps dangerous?All fluorescent lamps contain a hazardous substance with a hazard class 1 ("extremely hazardous"), such as mercury , in doses from 1 to 70 mg. Unrecycled mercury lamps are a ticking time bomb.

Scheme of the structure of CFL.

CFL is a twisted tube filled with a mixture of inert gas and mercury vapor. With the passage of electricity, the connection begins to glow almost invisible to the eye ultraviolet radiation. It becomes visible when passing through a fluorescent composition - a phosphor deposited on the walls of the tube.Lamp manufacturers are working to reduce mercury content, and supporters of incandescent lamps are given the following arguments as an argument: halogen lamps consume less electricity, which means that less coal is spent on its production, and the atmosphere is less polluted.

Main advantages of energy saving lamp- longer service life and reduced power consumption. The use of mercury in luminescent technology is perhaps its only drawback.

Ecological catastrophy.The massive accumulation of light bulbs in urban landfills will lead to the ingress of mercury into the soil and water.Once in the ecosystem of a river or lake, mercury tends to accumulate in fish. The older and larger the fish, the more mercury it contains.Toxic fumes can cause a wide range of different diseases, including the brain, kidneys and liver. Pmercury can cause fatigue, memory loss, sleep disturbances, pain in the limbs. And long-term exposure can lead to chronic poisoning of the body.

Therefore, it is very important to dispose of energy-saving lamps, otherwise we can all face an ecological disaster!

Disposal. Unfortunately, there are few ways to properly dispose of energy-saving lamps, but they are:

Burnt-out fluorescent lamps can be taken to your district DEZ or REU, where special containers are installed.

On February 14, 2011, a mobile hazardous waste collection point resumed its work in St. Petersburg - "Ecomobile»

Also, large lamp manufacturers, in cooperation with electronics hypermarkets, hold campaigns for the reception of llamas. As motivation - a discount on the purchase of a new lamp.

I did a poll which showedthat people don't own sufficient information about ways to dispose of energy-saving lamps, although they are aware of their danger! First of all, you need to know that it is impossible to throw energy-saving lamps into the garbage chute or garbage container!

What to do if an energy-saving lamp breaks?

If the lamp is broken, then, in order not to get mercury vapor poisoning, measures must be taken to demercurization premises: to be carried out mechanical cleaning from mercury compounds and ventilate the room for several hours.

1. Open the windows in the apartment for at least 15 minutes so that the room is properly ventilated.
2.Use disposable rubber gloves to remove broken pieces and light bulb parts. Do not touch the lamp with bare hands!
3.Do not use a brush or vacuum cleaner to pick up the pieces; collect all the broken pieces with a piece of hard cardboard or heavy paper and place them in an airtight plastic bag.
4. Wipe the surface where the lamp broke with a damp paper towel and place it in the same plastic bag.
5. Do not throw away broken pieces with all other trash. Take them to a specialized recycling center.

Findings:

Maintaining environmental cleanliness is one of the most important moral principles of any sane person. Have you ever wondered what is the fate of failed mercury-containing lamps and appliances? As long as the lamp is intact, it is safe, but if you break one fluorescent lamp, mercury vapor will poison all living things in a territory within a radius of 300 meters. Thousands and thousands of lamps are thrown into garbage containers, and even just to the ground! Tons of mercury-containing waste thrown away threaten environmental catastrophe to all living things on earth!

REMEMBER: By handing over energy-saving lamps for recycling, you not only take care of your health and the health of others, but also help nature. You also need to know that it takes much less energy to get mercury, glass and aluminum from waste, pure water and air than for their production from primary mineral raw materials.

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Slides captions:

GBOU secondary school No. 688 of the Primorsky district of St. Petersburg Scientific adviser: teacher of chemistry Vlasenko M.V.

Energy-saving lamps must not be thrown away!

Time bomb Energy-saving lamps contain MERCURY!

CFL structure diagram

Advantages and disadvantages of energy-saving lamps +Advantages: extended service life saving up to 80% of electricity at the same level of illumination low heat generation, which makes it possible to install high-power lamps in compact lamps and lamps with fragile glass; service life exceeding the service life of incandescent lamps from 6 to 15 times uniform and soft light scattering; the ability to give light of different color temperatures. cost savings -Disadvantages: Mercury and phosphorus, although in very small quantities, are present inside energy-saving lamps Warm-up phase lasts approximately 2 minutes Unsuitable for operation in a low temperature range (-15-20ºC) Lamps "do not like" frequent switching on and off High price. The price of an energy-saving light bulb is 10-20 times more expensive than an ordinary incandescent bulb. The main problem: recycling!

Ecological catastrophe Mass accumulation of light bulbs in city dumps will lead to mercury ingress into soil and water! The presence of mercury in fish can be a health issue, especially for pregnant, breastfeeding women and young children!

Disposal

Did you know... About the dangers of energy-saving lamps How to deal with failed energy-saving lamps

If the lamp breaks… Ventilate the room Collect the pieces in a plastic bag and sprinkle with bleach Clean it with bleach solution Bury the bag in the ground Take raw egg white or castor oil Do not use a vacuum cleaner! Do not throw fragments in the wastebasket!

What to do if the lamp is broken

Maintaining environmental cleanliness is one of the most important moral principles of any sane person!

Thank you for your attention!

Consumption ecology.Technologies:Surely you know that failed batteries and energy-saving light bulbs should not be thrown into garbage containers. Harmful substances contained in them must be disposed of. A careless attitude can lead to the fact that all the garbage that ends up in a landfill, including light bulbs, will exude toxic, dangerous fumes into the air.

Surely you know that failed batteries and energy-saving light bulbs should not be thrown into garbage containers. Harmful substances contained in them must be disposed of.

A careless attitude can lead to the fact that all the garbage that ends up in a landfill, including light bulbs, will exude toxic, dangerous fumes into the air. That's what it is main reason why disposal of mercury-containing lamps is not in a hurry.

In addition, mercury, along with precipitation can get into rivers, penetrate into groundwater, as a result of which the substance settles on microorganisms absorbed by fish and animals. In turn, infected living creatures freely enter stores, and then on the tables of people who, by the will of fate, are doomed to poisoning.

Basic information

How does an energy saving light bulb work?

Let's study internal organization an ordinary energy-saving light bulb, which is used in almost every home to save electricity consumption.

The basis of the product is a spiral made of glass, equipped with mercury vapor from the inside, on the walls of which there is also a special coating with an element called phosphor.

Mercury vapor, receiving an electrical discharge, emits ultraviolet radiation, which contributes to the subsequent emission of light.

Why is mercury dangerous?

Without interaction with other constituents, pure mercury is not as dangerous as it seems. It has been experimentally determined that if a bucket of mercury is poured onto the surface, the spot in contact with air will reach about 300 square meters. see. It is noteworthy that mercury vapor does not dissolve at all and does not mix with air, they “hang” for a long time with little or no movement.

Penetrating into the body, mercury accumulates until a sufficient amount of the substance begins to destroy the central nervous system and kidneys. The most terrible consequences of interacting with mercury are felt by children, who later may develop mental retardation and heart problems. In the adult population, the brain and liver are often affected.

It is impossible to completely abandon mercury-containing products. Despite the fact that the cost of energy-saving light bulbs is somewhat overestimated compared to other analogues, they compare favorably with a low value in relation to electricity consumption and at the same time perfectly illuminate the room.

Only the correct disposal of energy-saving lamps can protect against mercury vapors and their consequences.

How and where is the mercury-containing lamp disposed of?

Where to carry a burned-out device?

Of course, care should be taken to ensure that the mercury-containing product does not inadvertently break. Then you won’t have to dispose of anything ahead of schedule in panic and haste. To avoid this, it is necessary to store the lamps in the boxes in which they were originally purchased from the store. If the box is lost, it is advisable to wrap the lamp in thick newspaper sheets and put it in a hard-to-reach place.

After the product has served its due date, follow the mandatory disposal process established by the Law of the Russian Federation:

1. Pack the device as airtight as possible.
2. Find out from your Management Company (MC) or local DES where the lamp can be taken and where the mercury-containing waste is actually collected for subsequent transportation to the disposal site.
3. If the Criminal Code refuses to help in this matter and does not have the necessary information, contact the district Council at the place of residence.

What should I do if the lamp breaks?

Of course, no one is immune from incidental situations, so if the lamp does break, you need to act quickly and confidently, without succumbing to panic. Remember - this can happen to anyone, the main thing is to get rid of the dangerous source of mercury vapor in time and do it right.

• Ensure good ventilation of the room, turn off the heaters and leave the room for a quarter of an hour.
• If you don't have a respirator handy (which is ideal), put on a heavy gauze bandage. Protect your hands with rubber gloves.
• Now carefully collect the remains and fragments of the lamp and place them in one tight bag or several thin ones. Tie the cellophane tightly into several knots. The package can be replaced with a jar with a lid.
• Armed with a table lamp or a powerful flashlight, highlight the place where the mercury particles could get. If they are found, bring a cardboard sheet or a scraper and collect the substance in the same container as the fragments.
• Once again, carefully go over the area with an unnecessary damp cloth or napkin and fix the effect with wet cleaning of the floor covering, remembering to add bleach to the cleaning solution.
• Also collect the bag, napkin and gloves together and take it to recycling (where exactly - they will tell you in the Criminal Code). If you have additional questions, please contact the Ministry of Emergency Situations for help by dialing 112.
• Call the sanitary service and leave a request for an on-site measurement of the concentration of mercury vapor present in the indoor air (it should not be higher than the MAC of 0.0003 mg / m3).

What is the recycling of mercury-containing lamps?

To recycle light bulbs, products are destroyed and divided into many components, this process is ensured by filtering materials. The output is glass cullet, ferrous and non-ferrous metal, phosphor, etc.

How are dedicated components used? Glass can be recycled and is used as a raw material for the manufacture of various glass fixtures, as an option - as a filling element in concrete mortar. The caps from the lamps act as scrap metal. Mercury is again obtained from the phosphor.

Where is the recycling taking place?

Many consumers are interested in the question - where are mercury-containing devices taken for recycling? On the territory of the Russian Federation there are about 20 plants involved in the processing of waste containing mercury. The largest is LLC "Merkom". This is where we asked if all mercury is recyclable. The director of the enterprise, D. Donskoy, noted that the main part of the substance is indeed reused, and the rest is still subject to safe disposal for humans. For this, apply modern equipment and the latest technology.

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foreign experience

To date, EU countries no longer produce thermometers containing mercury. Norway and Sweden have not used a toxic substance in production cycles for a long time, it is being successfully replaced by alternative safe materials.

Unfortunately, Russia is not yet ready for such radical bans, and no changes are planned in the near future. The article of the Law, which states that each consumer has the right to receive the necessary information about the purchased product, does not apply either. The realities of life are such that most manufacturers do not provide information about the product in the required volume on the label, nuances about the content of harmful elements are concealed by all means.

The main attention is focused on what the cardboard packaging is made of, but how to dispose of the lamp and where to carry it is not indicated anywhere. Of course, there are also more conscientious manufacturers who at least remind you that an energy-saving product should not be thrown into a trash can.

This begs the next question - what percentage of buyers generally read the inscriptions and icons on the package? It is easy to guess that it is not too big.

Conclusion

Studying the problem of improper disposal of energy-saving lamps, we are faced with the indifference and even indifference of consumers in solving this problem.

No one knows how soon the population will become more conscious and think not only about the present day, but also about the future. The main thing is that by this time we should not waste our own health, otherwise there will be nothing to save. published

Instead of incandescent lamps, energy-saving (fluorescent) lamps are increasingly being used. They are much more profitable, help save energy. New lamps are also subject to recycling, like the old ones. Only the technology for destroying lighting fixtures is different. You need to know how to dispose of energy-saving light bulbs so as not to harm the environment and people.

Fluorescent lighting fixtures contain mercury. Therefore, energy-saving lamps must not be disposed of with other waste.

Recycling energy-saving light bulbs

Mercury is a very dangerous and toxic substance. In energy-saving lamps, it does not pose a threat while it is behind glass. A discarded lamp is not dangerous until it is broken. If the glass is damaged, then poisonous fumes will be released into the atmosphere. For this reason, you can not throw fluorescent lamps into the garbage chute, containers for household waste. Moreover, it is unacceptable to store them at home in an urn or bucket.

Such lamps should be disposed of at special enterprises where the necessary conditions are created.

• First, the devices are separated into their component parts.
• Everyone goes through their own recycling path.
• Some of the recycled materials can then be reused.
• Toxic and poisonous substances are poured with cement and sent to special burial places.

According to the legislation, failed fluorescent lamps must be accepted in ZhEKs and REU. There are also private companies that collect burnt or broken products. They then send them to factories. There, the phosphor, which contains mercury, is separated, then treated with demercurizing chemicals. Waste is covered with cement and packed in airtight containers.

Delivery of energy-saving light bulbs

The recycling process is quite expensive. Therefore, there are not many companies in Russia that assemble and sell energy-saving lamps, and enterprises for processing products. For destruction, they must be separated from other garbage and placed in an individual container.

Where to donate energy-saving light bulbs?

• They can be transferred to the service departments of IKEA hypermarkets. These stores have special containers for this purpose.
• Also, separate tanks are located in some cities in the directorates for the operation of buildings and repair departments. These organizations are required to accept burned out or broken fluorescent lamps.
• Products are handed over to industrial organizations and enterprises that are engaged in the maintenance of electrical networks or lighting. These companies cooperate with firms for the disposal of toxic and poisonous household waste.

However, not all cities have well-known drop-off points for energy-saving lamps. And most citizens will not go to the other end of the city to hand over one lamp for recycling. Therefore, in many localities there are special courier services that collect burnt out or broken luminescent devices. Phone numbers of such companies can be found on the Internet. Couriers come on call and pick up failed energy-saving lamps.

• You can also contact the house management with a request to put special containers next to the garbage bins.
• Some community members organize the collection of products containing mercury. To do this, they install small containers and then hand over the products themselves to state recycling points.

However, there are companies that charge money for such services, so only large industrial enterprises work directly with them.

You can hand over failed energy-saving lamps at battery collection points. They are properly disposed of there. It is much easier to negotiate with management in order to give products to a full-time electrician. His responsibilities include the transfer of lamps for further disposal.

Disposal features

Before throwing garbage, it must be sorted. Do not put food waste, batteries and used energy-saving lamps in the same bucket. They are packed in separate sealed bags. If there are no special containers nearby, then you can collect several lamps and then take them to collection points.

If the product burned out and crashed at home, you can call the rescue service. Specialists will help to establish the level of security in the apartment and process the place of contact of the surface with a broken fluorescent lamp. It must not be thrown into the general waste chute. There is very little mercury in products, but it can accumulate in landfills in dangerous amounts, which will negatively affect the environment.

What to do if an energy-saving light bulb breaks at home?

If an energy-saving lamp breaks at home, you should immediately isolate the room from people and animals. It is enough to transfer them to another room. Next, you need to close the door to a dangerous room or tightly drape the inlet with curtains. In this case, mercury will not spread throughout the house.

In the room where the lamp broke, you need to open the window for 20-30 minutes. During this time, toxic fumes will disappear from the room. It is important not to allow a draft so that the wind does not blow the fragments everywhere. To collect the fragments of the lamp, you need to attach a damp cloth or gauze bandage to your face, and put on rubber gloves on your hands. Take two pieces of thick cardboard. One will be used instead of a scoop, the other is raked up by fragments.

They are poured into a jar of water or in a sealed package, then put into a trash bag. If there is a carpet in the room, it should be shaken out in the open air and hung on the balcony for several hours to air out. The floors are thoroughly washed with potassium permanganate or bleach. After completing these steps, you need to call the Housing Office or the Ministry of Emergencies and clarify what to do with the fragments.

Energy-saving lamps contain much less mercury than thermometers. There is approximately 30 mg of poisonous substance inside luminescent products. In energy-saving lamps - only 5 mg, and in a thermometer almost 100 times more. Therefore, even if the fragments hit the carpet or floor, knocking out, ventilating the room and disinfecting the surfaces in it is enough to prevent the spread of toxic fumes.

In many cities, there are special teams that come on call, check an apartment or house for toxicity and pick up lamp fragments for disposal. If such services are not available, then you need to call the housing office or repair companies.

Energy-saving products operate on mercury vapor. Despite the minimal amount of hazardous substances in the lamps, they can cause serious poisoning if the protective shell (glass) is damaged. Poor-quality products that have lasted less than 6-12 months can be returned back to the store. This will solve the problem of how to dispose of the lamp yourself. You need to do this yourself only if the product burned out or crashed after the expected period of operation.

Lamps should not be thrown away with other household waste, as mercury vapor enters the atmosphere, they even seep through the ground. As a result, everyone who will be near this place will have to inhale the poisoned air. From this, the kidneys, respiratory organs, and heart fail. Let's prevent this together by responsibly disposing of hazardous waste.