Is the content of mercury in CFL's THAT bad?
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I just read something off my favorite forum site SD.com
This will hit it on the head.
Thankfully, using CFLs actually reduces by more than half the mercury put into the environment with an average electricity generation mix.
The average 'fuel' mix to make the extra electricity that you burn on your "waster" bulbs (i.e. standard incandescent bulbs) contains enough coal that spews greater than 2x the mercury contained in CFLs according to the Natural Resources Defense Council (see below). Also, CFLs are getting significantly better (using less mercury) while need for CO2 reduction is getting greater.
So, save yourself a bundle on electric costs, save equivalent amount of CO2 production (and other pollutants), and be happy. BTW - I do advise throwing them away in a zip lock bag and many municipalities dispose of them specially (NYC where I live does).
resources:
* From Natural Resources Defense Council: "CFLs do contain a very small amount of mercury. About 4 milligrams are sealed inside each bulb. For comparison, there are about 25 milligrams of mercury bound up in a watch battery and as much as 2 grams encapsulated in a home thermostat. But consider this: A 27-watt CFL lights up a room as well as a 100-watt incandescent bulb but uses only one-fourth the energy. This is where mercury comes in again: More than half of all electricity generated in the United States comes from coal-fired power plants, a huge source of mercury pollution. Over a CFL's 10,000-hour life span, the mercury within the bulb, plus the mercury emitted by power plants supplying electricity to the bulb, adds up to about 8 milligrams. An incandescent has a life span of just 1,000 hours, or one-tenth the lifespan of a CFL. To equal one CFL, you would have to burn 10 incandescents, emitting about 17.6 milligrams of mercury. By the time CFLs burn out, little mercury remains. But don't throw the bulb in the trash; it might end up at the incinerator. Ask about disposal at your local Household Hazardous Waste collection site. NRDC is working to establish CFL recycling programs. Visit the government's EnergyStar website for more information." http://www.nrdc.org/onearth/05spr/asknrd...
* To find out what to do first check www.earth911.org (where you can find disposal options by using your zip code) or call 1-877-EARTH911 for local disposal options. Another option is to check directly with your local waste management agency for recycling options and disposal guidelines in your community.
Additional information is available at www.lamprecycle.org.
Finally, IKEA stores take back used CFLs, and other retailers are currently exploring take back programs.
The CFL mercury content ranges from 2mg ~ 50mg. Regular flourescent light tubes contain 100mg. So CFLs have much less mercury.
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