Who would have thought that CFL bulbs would end up being actually more harmful for the environment after all if not properly disposed? WORLD magazine confirmed by suspicions:
“Compact fluorescent bulbs: great for the environment? Not so fast. Once a hot item to soothe the enviro-conscience, a new study by Yale University scientists reveals the energy-saving bulbs probably do more harm to the Earth’s environment than good. Yale researchers found that while compact fluorescent bulbs do save a lot of energy compared to traditional incandescent bulbs, the benefits to the environment are outweighed by the harm in disposing all the toxic mercury contained in the long-lasting bulb if dumped in landfills.”
I have enjoyed my history with CFL bulbs over the last year. They do contain a small amount of mercury (about 5 milligrams-roughly equivalent to the tip of a ball-point pen), however no mercury is released during usage, so there is no fear of using them in your home. I love the clear white color they radiate over the yellowish glows of incandescent. I do not like how long the higher voltage bulbs take time to fully light, but overall these bulbs are cheaper and should save you money in the long run. They use 75% less energy than incandescent’s and should last 10 times longer! We have purchased them at Costco and IKEA for low prices. I did get a funky bulb or two with my last purchase that gave up within six months, but another nice feature is these bulbs are warranted to last at least 2 years from most of the manufactors. They provide a number and email on the box to contact for replacements.
What is the solution to the harm that mercury can cause to the environment? If disposed of properly than the problem is solved! But finding a place to recycle them just may be a challenge, but more and more stores are beginning to offer free recycling. IKEA stores offer free recycling bins as well as all Home Depot locations and some ACE Hardware stores. Check out Lamp Recycle for an online list of locations around the USA and Canada that will recycle your bulbs. Earth911 also provides a similar list. Just type in CFL and your zip code and you will be directed to local recycling centers. I wouldn’t give up too quickly on these little guys!
If you don’t have a local recycling option, choose to store them until an option arises in your area! CFL’s will store the mercury indefinitely. A sturdy cardboard box lined with a plastic bag should do the trick.
I’ve been hearing that in the countries that these bulbs are being made, the factory workers are having serious health problems from having to handle the mercury. Sad.
I was for CFL bulbs until we had one break. After going through the cleanup stress (it happened in my baby’s room while he was sleeping) will not be purchasing any more. The cleanup is time consuming and could be costly if you follow the directions exactly. Anything that comes into contact with the glass should be tossed. This includes clothes and carpet. We have hardwood floors so the cleanup is relatively easier and less costly. I guess we will wait for the next green light bulb that does not contain anything that a haz mat team is needed to clean up.
On the topic of dangerous waste being recyled, this news story was on Sunday evening and really makes one think twice about where they recyle.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/06/60minutes/main4579229.shtml
Fear of mercury contamination has caused us to steer clear as well. Chronic mercury poisoning is hard to heal and has severe developmental consequences.
I have used these bulbs in the past and had at least 2 of them explode when used in the bathroom. They do not do well in moist atmospheres like the bathroom. At the time, I was unaware of the mercury issue. I’ve later learned that this is a significant issue when they explode or break.
Thank you for your well researched posts.
Laralee
http://PlymouthRockRanch.com
Recording the Faithfulness and Provision of God for Future Generations
Thank you for this, I had no idea. As kids we used to play with the mercury in a thermometer if it broke. Noone knew anything back then.
Some of our family get instant headaches(migraine) from these light bulbs.
You may want to check the wattage of your CFL’s. 15W compact fluorescent is equivalent to a 75W incandescent bulb, so if you are using too high a wattage that may be the cause. Also, I have heard it recommended to try a different variety, as they are not all so bright white in color.
I have been using CFLs since 2004 and I have some bulbs still alive from then. I had a roommate that replaced every bulb in the apartment with a CFL and we had impressively low electric bills (like $10-15 when we weren’t using AC). I just bought a house and unfortunately we have piles of regular light bulbs. I was glad half were already burnt out so I wouldn’t feel bad replacing something that works. And even though they have mercury, I have dropped several from a 10 ft tall ladder while changing out a chandelier and not one of them broke. So I will take my chances.
That’s good to know. Dropping from a 10 ft ladder is probably as high as anyone of them could drop in the average house. That proves that they are not easily breakable as many are concerned about.
I’ve been wondering where in the world to recycle these bulbs – thanks!
Thanks for posting this. Unfortunately, most people do not know that they need to be recycled. Never do any ads about these products share that info either. I will pass along some of these websites, especially about the free recycling. The price for recycling is what kept us from using these light bulbs (in our previous location, it was close to $4 for a small bulb.)
IKEA and Home Depot recycle them for free (in the US), maybe it used to cost $4, but not anymore.
I have bought several CFL’s (good name brands, too) that have not lasted more than a few months. This type of thing makes me a little slower to jump on the “green” bandwagon.
I appreciate all the effort and research you put into your posts!
I also wanna warn you that there is a danger to having them in your home – maybe more so when your kid(s) get older. If one of the bulbs were to break….lets just say its a major clean up. and toxic at that. Everyone has to be evacuated for a significant amount of time and there are very specific clean up instructions. We choose to avoid them for that reason as its not unheard of for lightbulbs to break around our house.
First off, this report said: Incandescent bulbs do not contain mercury, but coal–fired power plants, which help to manufacture these incandescent bulbs, does emit mercury in their processes.
According to Energy Star, the amount of mercury saved by using CFLs rather than incandescent bulbs is eight milligrams.
Secondly, a CFL bulb generally contains an average of 5 mg of mercury (about one-fifth of that found in the average watch battery, and less than 1/100th of the mercury found in an amalgam dental filling).
Thirdly, if you buy your brands carefully you will find several companies make CFL’s with even less mercury content (Philipps, GE, TCP INC, and Turolight). Turolight brand contains 1 mg of mercury.
Ideally, the best solution for lighting is LED! This is definitely the next lighting solution, but currently prices are too high to tempt me in that direction nor are they readily available in standard light fixture form.
For clean up tips in case of breakage, visit here. Another source that claims there is little risk of mercury exposure. Remember there is about the same amount of mercury in your pens!
Thanks for the info. I hadn’t read about that. We have some of them in our house and haven’t had any go bad yet, but I’m glad to know there are places to check out for recycling.