Method for cold-cutting a lamp

A method for cold-cutting a lamp that has an inner pressure lower than atmospheric pressure, an envelope, at least one connector secured to the envelope, and contains a pollutant, the method comprising:

• maintaining the lamp in a predetermined cutting position;
• cutting the envelope into at least one cut point and creating a first piece and a second piece on either side of each cut point;
• prior to the cutting step, immersing the cut point in a liquid or pasty composition;
• maintaining the cut point immersed in the liquid or pasty composition during the cutting step;
• suctioning part of the liquid or pasty composition in each piece wherein the liquid or pasty composition is a shear-thickening composition and a temperature of the shear-thickening composition, prior to cutting, is higher than or equal to a pour point of the shear-thickening composition;
• and
• subsequent to the cutting step, decreasing the temperature of the shear-thickening composition to a temperature lower than the pour point, so as to increase its viscosity and to create a sealed stopper to the pollutant.