Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) save tons of energy and money over regular incandescent bulbs, but they can still be a threat to the environment if they are not disposed of properly. CFLs contain between 1.4 and 4 mg of mercury, a highly toxic metal that leaches into the food chain from landfills and incinerators, which is where CFLs end up if you put them in the trash.
Every part of a CFL can, and should be, recycled. Check your state-specific waste guidelines to find out where you can recycle CFLs, or if there is a household hazardous waste program in your area. If there are no other options but the trash, make sure to seal each CFL inside two plastic bags. Make sure that your waste does not go to an incinerator, and if it does, look for disposal options in another location. Be a responsible consumer and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the day you buy a CFL to the day you recycle it.
Did you know that mercury poisoning can result in brain damage and even death?
The effects of mercury exposure – in any form – range according to the concentration
and duration of exposure, but to be safe, avoid all exposure and follow the right steps when dealing with mercury-containing
products.
Did you know that even thought they contain mercury, CFLs actually cause less mercury emissions than regular
incandescent bulbs?
Electricity is the main source of mercury
emissions in the U.S., and a CFL uses a quarter the amount of energy that a regular incandescent bulb uses. Thus, using CFLs
reduces the amount of mercury being released in the environment.
Did you know that it
only takes a gram of mercury deposition every year, over time, to contaminate a 20-acre lake?
A gram is about how much mercury is in a mercury thermometer, and a little
less than in a CFL, but over time it is enough to make the fish from a lake unsafe to eat, and can harm other forms of
wildlife as well.
