EPA guidelines if you break a CFL: Shut off heating and A/C ventilation. Leave room. Do not use a vacuum...

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These steps are precautions and reflect best practices for cleaning up a broken Compact Flourescent Light. CFLs contain a very small amount of mercury -- less than 1/100th of the amount in a mercury thermometer.

1. Have people and pets leave the room, and avoid the breakage area on the way out.
2. Open a window or door to the outdoors and leave the room for 5-10 minutes.
3. Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning (H&AC) system, if you have one.
4. Collect materials you will need to clean up the broken bulb.
5. Carefully scoop up glass fragments and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place debris and paper/cardboard in a glass jar with a metal lid. If a glass jar is not available, use a sealable plastic bag.
6. Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder. Place the used tape in the glass jar or plastic bag.
7. Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place the towels in the glass jar or plastic bag.
8. Vacuuming of hard surfaces during cleanup is not recommended unless broken glass remains after all other cleanup steps have been taken.
9. Keep a window or door to the outdoors open;
10. Vacuum the area where the bulb was broken using the vacuum hose, if available; and
11. Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister) and seal the bag/vacuum debris, and any materials used to clean the vacuum, in a plastic bag.
12. Promptly place all bulb debris and cleanup materials, including vacuum cleaner bags, outdoors in a trash container or protected area until materials can be disposed of properly.
13. Check with your local or state government about disposal requirements in your area. Some states and communities require fluorescent bulbs (broken or unbroken) be taken to a local recycling center.
14. Wash your hands with soap and water after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing bulb debris and cleanup materials.
15. Continue to air out the room where the bulb was broken and leave the H&AC system shut off, as practical, for several hours.
16. Vacuuming of carpeting or rugs during cleanup is not recommended unless broken glass remains after all other cleanup steps have been taken.
17. Promptly place all bulb debris and cleanup materials, including vacuum cleaner bags, outdoors in a trash container or protected area until materials can be disposed of properly.
18. Check with your local or state government about disposal requirements in your area. Some states and communities require fluorescent bulbs (broken or unbroken) be taken to a local recycling center.
19. Wash your hands with soap and water after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing bulb debris and cleanup materials.
20. Continue to air out the room where the bulb was broken and leave the H&AC system shut off, as practical, for several hours
21. The next several times you vacuum the rug or carpet, shut off the H&AC system if you have one, close the doors to other rooms, and open a window or door to the outside before vacuuming. Change the vacuum bag after each use in this area.
22. After vacuuming is completed, keep the H&AC system shut off and the window or door to the outside open, as practical, for several hours.

On the other hand, the mercury exposure from breaking a CFL is less than the exposure from eating 6 ounces of Albacore Tuna.

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