“Potentially life-saving steps” sounds very dramatic – overly so, in fact. But then again, those words weren’t mine :-D

As I wrote towards the start of the above post, the mercury in one CFL isn’t enough to ruin your health alone. But it’s better to not inhale the fumes from it than to inhale it. Which is why the clean-up steps might come in handy.

You probably won’t die if you get a splinter in your hand, but it’s better to not get it – so wear protection gloves when you handle rough wooden boards.

That being said: CFLs are certainly not perfect. LED bulbs will probably be a way better alternative in the near future.

I’ve already bought a few of the newer types, and are very pleased with them. Good light, low electricity usage and no mercury :-)

Am I the only one who finds this comical? Black comedy that is. This all sounds like a bad joke. ‘They are safe. But if you ever break a lightbulb follow these 15 potentially life-saving steps.’

“Think the above sounds like a bit of a hassle? Don’t worry – it’s very unlikely that you’ll ever break a CFL in the first place. In fact, if you’re careful, this post might end up being completely useless for you”

I find that statement as comforting as the Japanese people find comments about nuclear safety. Sure that is a terrible stretch, but the fact that safety agencies greenlghted consumers bringing mercury into their homes has me baffled.

I think the clean-up procedures clearly demonstrate how safe these bulbs ‘truly’ are. I am off to stock up on incandescants!