Mercury is as deadly as it is beautiful. Unfortunately, our cheap electric power means mercury levels are building up throughout our food chain, most notably in carnivorous fish, like tuna. Our friends over at Grist have eloquently answered a very frequently asked -- and very valid -- question: does the mercury content in compact fluorescent light bulbs, or CFLs, offset the energy savings?
The answer, we're glad to report, is unequivocal. The CFL, even though it does contain mercury, is absolutely greener, because producing electrical power releases mercury directly into the atmosphere. So with that resolved, switch away, unencumbered.
Just remember to dispose of spent bulbs properly and none of the mercury will escape into the environment.
For more information on CFLs, check out these posts in the AT archive:
• Compact Fluorescents… With Confidence
• Danny Seo's favorite CFL
• …and some great tips from our loyal readers.
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Comments (8)
Unfortunately we are releasing mercury into the air in a multitude of ways, that CFLs are only a minor part of the problem. The benefit of energy savings offsets the issue of mercury in CFLs.
This does not let us off the hook. Until LEDs become a better solution, people will need to recycle CFLs properly.
This issue has been a bit of a red herring- we use all kinds of products containing toxic elements (batteries for one). I wish that everyone would look at thier lives as critically as with the CFL debate.
I wish it were easier to recycle and dispose of these things (like batteries and CFLs).
CFLs are unusual in allowing you to release solid mercury in your own home if a bulb breaks. Given that our household bulb breakage is exclusively from pets knocking over lamps when I'm not home, I'm worried about the prospect of having them around something where the clean-up instructions involve gloves, hazardous waste disposal, and instructions to run a fan and stay out of the room for 12-15 hours.
On a site that worries about household cleaners that are much less hazardous in normal use, I'm really surprised at the advocacy of a practice that could kill pets.
the mercury in a CFL is such a low amount dropping an old thermometer is more dangerous. All of our parents have done that at least once, or handled mercury. Sure its dangerous, but in perspective you have a higher risk of getting mercury poisoning from eating too many polluted fish than breaking a CFL in your household.
I read recently that mercury free cfl's are due out sometime by the end of the year. It wasn't sourced, so not sure by which manufacturer, but seems like progress is being made on this issue.
Umm the mercury is not going to kill you or your pet in the quantities of a CFL. Has anyone of you even cleaned up a mercury spill? Its pretty hard to do-it goes everywhere but where you want it to and keeps on dividing into smaller and smaller droplets. It would be pretty difficult for Fido or Whiskas to swallow these. Enough with the hysteria on both sides.
Mr Green on the Sierra Club website says there is roughly 140 times more mercury in a household thermometer then there is an a CFL.
CFLs contain mercury equivalent to the end of a ballpoint pen. PrettyKitty is right, there is a greater hazard in people throwing away old thermostats when they remodel their homes. If you live near an IKEA they will recycle your CFLs for free.