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What’s this warning about

Zuma_Fur
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Fluorescent bulbs sometimes contained mercury in them to essentially help them produce the light.  A lot of places, at least in Canada, you can bring to a recycling depot or electronics depot which will safely dispose of the unit.

3735928559 - Beware of the dead beef

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2 minutes ago, Zuma_Fur said:

Something about mercury!?!?

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Some light bulbs and lamps contain mercury in small amounts. Compact florescent bulbs - the twisty kind - infamously did. The warning is a reminder that this device is supposed to be sent to a proper treatment plant - an electronics recycling facility - rather than just being chucked in a landfill.

 

It is not dangerous for you to handle it while it's working, but if everyone tosses those in landfills, the collective amount of mercury is a danger to the environment, so do try to dispose of your electronics properly.

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Just now, wanderingfool2 said:

Fluorescent bulbs sometimes contained mercury

they still do.

as of 2024 they pushed mercury free ones to comply with EU in the EU, but it is cost prohibitive in markets that are less restrictive to sell.
 

 

 

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Maybe say what the thing you're showing us is... But assuming it's computer-related then yes up to about 10-15 years ago monitors and laptops used mercury-containing CCFL light sources.

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Just now, YoungBlade said:

the collective amount of mercury is a danger to the environment

not at all.
it is not suitable for landfill because it is a significant risk to employees of the landfill to be exposed to mercury.
lethium batteries are not suitable for any mechanical garbage processing period. if you throw one in the trash, you are an arsonist.

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12 minutes ago, OhYou_ said:

they still do.

as of 2024 they pushed mercury free ones to comply with EU in the EU, but it is cost prohibitive in markets that are less restrictive to sell.
 

 

 

I used the term sometimes because at least where I'm at I've seen a decent amount of them that claim mercury free.  Including a lot of the old school CFL ones, although that doesn't really matter as much since we are going towards LED anyways.

3735928559 - Beware of the dead beef

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WHats the overall context here? Are you asking if you can just throw it away without care (to which answer is and always should be no)? Or whether you are safe to use it? To which it depends. If its not working or damaged, maybe no. If its working, mostly yes. Leaking batteries should not be used, but unless consumed, they are not dangerous to you. And yet they are also something to be disposed with specific way.

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On 6/16/2025 at 3:10 PM, OhYou_ said:

Lethium batteries are not suitable for any mechanical garbage processing period. if you throw one in the trash, you are an arsonist.

Wonder how often random fires start in trash facilities because someone chucked a lithium battery or similar explodey object. 

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On 6/16/2025 at 12:01 PM, Zuma_Fur said:

Something about mercury!?!?

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LiPo batteries must be recycled, if you throw them in the garbage, and they get punctured, it's insta-fire.

 

Mercury is in CFL and backlights computer screens and laptop screens that don't use LED backlighting.

 

1 hour ago, spacepickle said:

Wonder how often random fires start in trash facilities because someone chucked a lithium battery or similar explodey object. 

https://www.wastetodaymagazine.com/news/battery-fires-threaten-waste-management-workforce-clean-energy-transition/

 

Quote

According to a recent UL Standards & Engagement survey, more than one-third of consumers (36 percent) report throwing old lithium-ion batteries in the trash and another 30 percent said they mix them with recyclables.

 

What these consumers likely don’t know is that simple acts can have serious consequences. These batteries—if damaged, overheated, counterfeit or substandard—can enter thermal runaway, a chain reaction that creates excessive heat inside the cell.

 

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On 6/19/2025 at 5:20 PM, Zuma_Fur said:

It’s an IBM ThinkPad T61

So battery in that device. Which leaves the question, why are you asking this?

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