CFL Breakage

Any LED or Compact Fluorescent Lamps must not be disposed of in general household waste, but need to be recycled. These lamps contain materials that are harmful to the environment if not disposed of properly. Fluorescent lamps contain potentially harmful substances, particularly mercury, lead and cadmium.

These lamps will have the following symbol printed on them:

Most local household recycling centres should have a facility for disposing of used lamps. Many shops including supermarkets and DIY centres also have recycling bins for WEEE including light bulbs.

Use the link below to find your nearest lamp recycling bins / facilities.

http://www.recolight.co.uk/FREE-Recycling/

Alternately any lamps from private households may be returned to us at Prolite Lamps. We are not a public recycling facility but are able to recycle any lamp products which are returned to us free of charge on a one-to-one basis providing that any lamps returned are of an equivalent type to, and fulfils the same function as the replacement lamp that you have been supplied by Prolite lamps. Any lamps returned must be returned at your expense. The returns address is:

Prolite Lamps Disposal
Ritelite (Systems) Ltd
Meadow Park
Bourne Road
Essendine
Stamford
Lincolnshire
PE9 4LT

Older style incandescent lamps cannot be recycled and must be disposed of in an ordinary rubbish bin. They should however be protected to ensure they will not injure anyone should they break in a rubbish bag.
Businesses should contact their local authority for advice on how to dispose of business waste safely.

CFL Breakage

CLEARING UP BROKEN COMPACT FLUORESCENT LAMPS
Compact fluorescent lamps are generally constructed from glass which can break if dropped or roughly handled. Always handle with care, and fit by holding the lamp base – not the glass tube.

Fluorescent lamps contain a small amount of mercury which is highly toxic, so if a lamp breakage does occur please follow the instructions below.

BEFORE CLEAN UP

Ask everyone to leave the room and don’t allow anyone to tread through the broken lamp.
Open a window for 15 minutes to allow maximum ventilation, close all doors to other parts of the building and turn off any air conditioning systems.

CLEANING UP FROM HARD SURFACES

Using stiff paper or cardboard, carefully scoop up the glass fragments into a tough container such as a jar with a metal lid.

Use sticky tape to pick up any remaining small pieces of glass and powder.
Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place the used towels in the container with the glass.

Once cleared up place all clean up materials into a waste container outside or protected area.
After disposal wash hands thoroughly.

CLEANING UP FROM CARPETS OR RUGS

Wearing rubber gloves, carefully pick up the glass fragments and place them into a tough container such as a jar with metal lid.

Use sticky tape to pick up any remaining small pieces of glass and powder.

Vacuum the area where the lamp was broken to remove any other fragments.

After clean up place the rubber gloves in the same container as the broken glass if possible. Dispose of the vacuum cleaner’s waste bag if it has one, if not then carefully wipe out the waste container after emptying.

Place all clean up materials into a waste container outside of the protected area.
After disposal wash hands thoroughly.

CLEANING UP FROM BEDDING OR CLOTHING

If bedding or clothing come into contact with broken glass or mercury containing powder from inside the lamp they should be thrown away.

If the bedding or clothing has come into contact with the mercury vapour (such as the clothing you were wearing) these should be washed as long as they have not come into contact with the broken glass or powder, in which case they should be disposed of.

If shoes have come into contact with the broken glass or mercury containing powder, wipe this off using damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place the used towels or wet wipes into a tough container for disposal.

Place all clean up materials into a waste container outside or protected area.

After disposal wash hands thoroughly.