How safe are compact fluorescent light bulbs?

I want to commend the Union Leader for bringing to light one of the less reported aspects of compact fluorescent light bulbs – their mercury content, as discussed in this article. Certainly the dangers of mercury in regards to thermometers became so widely known that such devices are no longer made.

But, over the past few years, compact fluorescent light bulbs have grown increasingly popular along with the movement for reducing energy consumption. While their usage has increased, awareness of how to clean up broken bulbs and properly dispose of used bulbs has not followed.

According to New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) statistics, 106 pounds of mercury are generated annually by 2.4 million worn fluorescent lamps, placing it among the largest sources of the element in the Granite State. Additionally, only 20 to 30 percent of these bulbs are properly recycled.

Of course compact fluorescent bulbs contain significantly less mercury than the old-fashioned thermometers (5 mg to 500 mg, according to EPA statistics cited in the Union Leader piece).

Nevertheless, even small traces of mercury can cause problems for humans and the environment. NHDES notes these symptoms:

In humans, mercury is toxic to the nervous system, affecting the brain, spinal
cord, kidneys and liver. Mercury exposure is particularly significant for young
children and pregnant women because mercury inhibits the development of the
brain and nervous system. Lowered intelligence, impaired hearing, and poor
coordination are some of the effects seen in children with elevated mercury
exposure.

And these environmental effects:

Mercury is highly toxic to wildlife. It accumulates in the tissues of fish and
other organisms inhabiting mercury-contaminated waters and builds up in the
tissues of organisms higher up the food chain, including humans. Eagles, osprey,
common loons, river otters, mink, and other fishing-eating animals may suffer
premature death, weight loss, difficulties reproducing, and other problems as a
result of eating mercury-contaminated fish.

That said, these warnings do not mean people should stop replacing halogen light bulbs with compact fluorescent ones. There simply needs to be greater awareness of proper handling and disposal techniques.

As the Union leader points out, NHDES has posted a list of hardware stores that recycle bulbs in the state. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection provides a similar list for Bay State residents.

Both of these Web sites also have information on how to manage a broken or spent compact fluorescent bulb (the most important thing being not to vacuum it.). But this is not enough. Similar information should be highly visible on store shelves and on light bulb containers.

Finally, this will eventually become a moot point as LED bulbs replace fluorescent ones but that’s a topic for another post sometime.