Human health risks from mercury exposure from broken compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs)

Human health risk to infants/toddlers and adults was evaluated based on two exposure scenarios from compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) breakage; first in a room with no ventilation and no clean-up, and second in a room with adequate ventilation and clean-up. Concentration data from multiple exposure scenarios tested in a study by Stahler et al. (2008) were compared to human toxicity benchmarks to calculate hazard quotients. For the no clean-up scenario, hazard quotients were generally less than 1, suggesting an unlikely health risk. When the room was ventilated and the broken CFL was cleaned-up, mercury concentrations were generally lower. A review of release scenarios, along with duration-adjusted toxicity benchmarks, indicated that few releases produced levels of concern, but some scenarios resulted in exceedance of risk targets and require further study. Uncertainties in this screening characterization include assumptions about room size, ventilation, age of lamp, the distribution of mercury in the room, and also the choice of the toxicity benchmarks used to develop the hazard quotients.

► Inorganic mercury vapor is the mercury form of concern from CFL breakage.
► The amount of mercury varies based on age, size and manufacturer of the lamp.
► Few exposure scenarios result in releases that generate a health concern.
► Variability in real-life scenarios unlikely results in smaller hazard quotients.