The most important steps to reduce exposure to mercury vapor from a broken bulb are:

1. Before cleanup

a. Have people and pets leave the room.

b. Air out the room for 5-10 minutes by opening a window or door to the outdoor

environment.

c. Shut off the central forced air heating/air conditioning (H&AC) system, if you have one.

d. Collect materials needed to clean up broken bulb.

2. During cleanup

a. Be thorough in collecting broken glass and visible powder.

b. Place cleanup materials in a sealable container.

3. After cleanup

a. Promptly place all bulb debris and cleanup materials outdoors in a trash container or

protected area until materials can be disposed of properly. Avoid leaving any bulb

fragments or cleanup materials indoors.

b. For several hours, continue to air out the room where the bulb was broken and leave the

H&AC system shut off.