An email that has been widely circulated warns of the dangers of broken CFLs.

It warns of the risk of mercury poisoning, contracting allergies and severe skin conditions, and inhaling poisonous gases if handling or being around broken bulbs.

“These types of bulbs, if broken, cause serious danger,” the email reads.

A number of lighting retailers say residents should not be overly concerned about the circulating warnings.

“Every fluorescent light has got gas inside it, it’s what makes them glow,” Affordable Lighting owner Roumy Ivanova said.

“Now they don’t have nearly as much gas as what they used to have.”

Ms Ivanova said she warns her customers not to handle light bulbs by holding onto the glass due to the risk of them being cut if the bulb breaks, not because of the mercury inside the bulb.

A spokesperson from Greater Western Area Health Service said no practioners had reported dealing with patients who had been injured by CFLs.

Energy companies promote the use of CFLs in home and businesses to help reduce greenhouse gases and cost.

“Energy-saving CFLs contain small quantities of mercury,” a spokesperson from Endeavour Energy said.

“Most modern CFLs contain fewer than five milligrams, an amount approximately equivalent to the tip of a ballpoint pen.

“To put this into perspective, it takes between 100 and 600 CFLs to make up the mercury in a common household thermometer.

“The small amount of mercury sealed in a CFL does not pose a hazard to users.”

The company does advise that people take care when handling broken CFLs.

People should avoid picking up glass with bare hands to avoid cuts and avoid vacuuming the glass that can spread mercury into other areas of the house.

erin.somerville@ruralpress.com