Mercury & CFLs

by Joanne Fedyk

(Confession from a Riders fan ... whenever someone starts talking about CFLs, I don't think of light bulbs...)

Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) have gained enormous popularity over the last few years. They are so much more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs and technological improvements have improved their functionality and their price. They use at least 75% less energy and last about six times longer than ordinary light bulbs.

Governments everywhere are encouraging their use and even banning incandescent bulbs. Municipalities and utilities are giving them away. For example, a recent initiative, Project Porchlight Saskatchewan, distributed more than 200,000 free CFLs to residents across the province. This amount of bulbs will reduce energy use by 154,000,000 kWh, save over $8,000,000, and cut more than 9,300 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. That's equivalent to taking 2,400 cars off the road for a year.

Amazing results, vast amounts of energy conservation potential. One little hiccup ...CFLs contain a small bit of mercury. There's no known way around it. They need a bit of mercury vapour to do their thing. Doesn't mean we shouldn't buy them. Doesn't mean we shouldn't use them. Does mean that we need to pay attention when they eventually die.

When CFLs first got popular, no one gave much thought to their after-life (they normally do last a long time), but options are starting to develop. CFLs can be recycled: the mercury and phosphorous can be recovered and the glass and metal bits recycled. Home Depot stores have special collection bins for spent CFLs. Local recyclers of regular fluorescent tubes have adapted their systems to be able to handle the smaller versions. You can also take your old CFLs to your community's Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day.

CFLs have such a great potential to reduce energy use that the federal government has exempted them from the restrictions on mercury-containing products. New technologies that use no mercury, such as LED lights, are emerging, but for the moment, CFLs are a still great choice ...just be careful with them when they finally die.

(Source: Feb. 2009 WasteWatch)

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