One of the most visible representations of our society’s “going green” is the Compact Fluorescent Lightbulb, or CFL. Those are the curly-shaped lightbulbs, if you didn’t know the phrase.
I just wanted to put out a call to everyone to treat these carefully. They are wonderful products, but they do contain a small amount of mercury, one of the more toxic heavy metals.
Once they burn out, please dispose of them properly. How?
1. Handle With Care. Once broken, the mercury is free to enter the environment. So, don’t do that.
2. Take them to a place specifically designed to recycle them. All Home Depot stores are equipped with a special container and procedure for recycling CFLs, and the Depot does not charge for this service. I give them huge props for doing this.
3. If a CFL breaks, do your best to clean the site thoroughly. The US EPA has a nice fact sheet with details and precautions.
The bottom line is, Handle With Care.
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Just a note: there is less mercury in CFL bulbs than would have been released by a coal-fired power plant sending electricity to a similar incandescent bulb!
You are very correct, we don’t need the mercury coming from either source!
Excellent point, Michael! And the often misunderstood point about the mercury from the bulbs is that it is also an inhalation hazard, much like what comes from the power plant. Yes, the material is a solid that requires cleaning, but it volatilizes (evaporates) if not cleaned properly and gets in human systems where it can reach toxic levels (if enough is inhaled). Thanks, Michael!
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