some very old fluorescent tubes both used more mercury, and used beryllium oxide as a ceramic  insulator in the end caps (and if cracked that is a dust to avoid inhaling and keep out of cuts). These have not been made for at least 40 to 50 years, probably longer, but if you are involved in removal of scrap fittings from very old buildings, it is another thing, like poly-chlorinated oils in transformers, asbestos in fuse holders, dripping nasty waxes from capacitors and so on, just to keep in mind.

Mercury is not that bad in short exposures, unless inhaled, very little mercury is absorbed by your body  if you just swallow a small amount of liquid mercury or get it on your skin for a short time unless you also have open cuts. This is considered almost non-toxic and you'll probably have no symptoms. However, if you breathe in mercury vapour, mist or globules, it can be absorbed into the bloodstream. (old thermometers used up to a gramme or 2, lamps some milligrams.)

Even so, once the dust has settled, unless there are obvious silvery droplets,  (and they can be absorbed with powdered sulpher) , as above you can sweep up the glass with a long brush, or use a wet mop and you will be fine.

If you eat tuna fish, you should not worry about mercury in tubes (*)

Mike

(Two separate maximum levels are imposed for fish ― a level of 1.0 mg mercury/kg  (1 part per million) for the fish that are known to contain high levels of mercury (such as swordfish, southern bluefin tuna, barramundi, ling, orange roughy, rays and shark) and a level of 0.5 mg/kg for all other species of fish)

some very old fluorescent tubes both used more mercury, and used beryllium oxide as a ceramic  insulator in the end caps (and if cracked that is a dust to avoid inhaling and keep out of cuts). These have not been made for at least 40 to 50 years, probably longer, but if you are involved in removal of scrap fittings from very old buildings, it is another thing, like poly-chlorinated oils in transformers, asbestos in fuse holders, dripping nasty waxes from capacitors and so on, just to keep in mind.

Mercury is not that bad in short exposures, unless inhaled, very little mercury is absorbed by your body  if you just swallow a small amount of liquid mercury or get it on your skin for a short time unless you also have open cuts. This is considered almost non-toxic and you'll probably have no symptoms. However, if you breathe in mercury vapour, mist or globules, it can be absorbed into the bloodstream. (old thermometers used up to a gramme or 2, lamps some milligrams.)

Even so, once the dust has settled, unless there are obvious silvery droplets,  (and they can be absorbed with powdered sulpher) , as above you can sweep up the glass with a long brush, or use a wet mop and you will be fine.

If you eat tuna fish, you should not worry about mercury in tubes (*)

Mike

(Two separate maximum levels are imposed for fish ― a level of 1.0 mg mercury/kg  (1 part per million) for the fish that are known to contain high levels of mercury (such as swordfish, southern bluefin tuna, barramundi, ling, orange roughy, rays and shark) and a level of 0.5 mg/kg for all other species of fish)