CFLs Reduce Mercury Pollution--But It's Important to Recycle Them

Unlike standard light bulbs, CFLs contain a tiny amount of mercury, a toxic pollutant. But as households switch to the more efficient bulbs, we're actually reducing the amount of mercury released into our environment. This is because coal-fired power plants emit four times as much mercury as they generate the electricity needed for a standard bulb. The EPA's Energy Star program states: "A coal-fired power plant will emit 13.6 milligrams of mercury to produce electricity required to use an incandescent light bulb, compared to 3.3 milligrams for a CFL."

But wait. Are these bulbs safe to use around the house? Energy Star say yes. A CFL does not release any mercury unless it's broken and even then, the amount is miniscule--about 1% of the amount of mercury found in an old-fashioned thermometer. According to Energy Star: "Research indicates that there is no immediate health risk to you or your family should a bulb break and it’s cleaned up properly." The best way to clean up a broken bulb is to sweep up the pieces, wipe the area with a damp paper towel and then discard the glass shards and the towel in a sealed plastic bag. Learn more.

However, thousands or millions of discarded bulbs in a landfill could cause a real environmental problem, with subsequent health risks, so it is important to recycle CFLs. The bulbs last about seven years, but when one does burn out, look for a recycling program. It shouldn't be too hard to find. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality advises: "Most all Virginia localities sponsor some sort of “household hazardous wastes” collection days. Many others will even collect HHW year round. Almost of all of these HHW facilities and events will take fluorescent lamps for recycling. " Learn more.