While CFLs do contain amounts of Mercury, the relative risk assumed by breaking one in the house is fairly low. Young children and babies are more susceptible to the damaging effects of Mercury exposure, and garbage collectors are at risk as well due to the amount of broken bulbs they may encounter while on the job. The safest way to dispose of CFLs is to take them to a hazardous-waste collection facility after they've burned out.

The amount of mercury in a CFL bulb is no tiny that it poses no significant health hazard. If you break a CFL bulb, collect the debris in a plastic bag and wipe down the floor with a damp paper towel to be sure you've gotten all dust and glass particles. You can dispose of used CFL bulbs, whether whole or broken, in your normal household trash.

There are mercury hazards from a broken CFL, but if you drop them, they do not break as easily as regular bulbs. Because they have a much longer life, you will not be disposing of them as frequently, but you should take the burnt out CFL bulbs to a recycling center.