i think its a legitimate claim in regards to the mercury as well as other pollutants.. i have used a lot of CFLs and i have broken a few and the same thoughts that this hickbilly talks about have run through my head. i felt "dirty" in cleaning it up.. i dont know if this fear is warranted but i am sure whatever is in these bulbs is NOT good to be exposed to.. i guess time will tell .. but ill tell you one thing.. i got a couple of these huge 300w equiv CFL and the thing is golden... 14 bucks a piece.. cant go wrong... but yeah.. i would say try to stay away from breaking them and be careful when you clean it up if you do break them.. i would also say try your best to make sure they are disposed of properly when throwing them away.. for the environments sake