Updates on Dangers of Mercury

I've long been appalled by our casual attitude towards products containing mercury, a highly dangerous element. Two recent reports on mercury that apply to most of us are:

1. Silver-colored metal dental fillings contain mercury that may cause health problems in pregnant women, children and fetuses, the Food and Drug Administration said today after settling a related lawsuit.

2. The State of Maine did a study on compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) and how much toxic mercury is released when they break. They have strengthened their guidelines on what to do if one of these bulbs is broken. It's important for parents to note that "all types of flooring surfaces tested can retain mercury sources even when visibly clean... Cleaning up a broken CFL by vacuuming up the smaller debris particles in an un-vented room can elevate mercury concentrations in the room and it can linger at these levels for hours ...A vacuum can become contaminated by mercury such that it cannot be easily decontaminated..."

They recommend placing the pieces in a glass jar (without touching them) and sealing it instead of just using plastic bags. In some cases, you may want to throw out your carpet if it's been contaminated by broken fluorescent bulbs! Read their report and attachments if you have CFLs in your home so that you'll know what to do when one breaks. Oh, and don't just toss them in the trash when they burn out. They are considered hazardous and should be taken to a place that recycles them.