Most people think that compact fluorescent bulbs are great for saving money.
But did you know that compact fluorescent bulbs contain mercury?
While compact fluorescent light bulbs, also known as CFLs, use 75 percent less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs and can last about six times longer, they contain mercury, which is highly toxic. As long as the bulbs are not broken, you and your family are safe from the mercury.
Mercury exposure at high levels can harm the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, and immune system. Symptoms may include muscle weakness, poor coordination, numbness in the hands and feet, skin rashes, memory problems, trouble speaking, trouble hearing, or trouble seeing. Symptoms depend upon the type, dose, method, and duration of exposure.
If a compact fluorescent bulb breaks, the mercury can spread throughout your home. Mercury escapes as vapor that can be inhaled. It can also be a fine powder that can settle into carpet and other textiles. The vapor can get into your home’s ventilation system where it becomes almost impossible to remove.
Caution must be used to clean up mercury. The first thing to do is to air out the area before beginning the clean-up. It must not be touched with bare skin. Never vacuum a broken CFL bulb as the mercury can be dispersed into the air by the vacuum’s exhaust. Use a very sticky tape, like duct tape, to pick up the broken pieces of the bulb. Wear gloves to wipe down the area and dispose of everything you used to clean up. The best way to dispose of these cleaning items is to put them in a sealed plastic bag, a jar or metal container like a large coffee tin that you can seal immediately after the clean-up.
Even if you are very careful handling these CFL bulbs, there may be another danger. It is now known that most CFL bulbs have some kind of manufacturing defects that allow UV radiation to leak. Sometimes this can be at levels that could damage skin cells if a person is directly exposed at close range.
When the bulbs no longer work, it is obvious that they can’t just be thrown in the garbage because they may break. In fact, it is illegal in many places to dispose of CFLs in this way. The EPA recommends that you bring old CFLs to qualified recyclers, rather than disposing of them in trash cans or curbside recycling bins.
If you're concerned about the mercury and radiation associated with CFLs, consider LED bulbs.
LEDs consume less electricity, and they have additional advantages. LEDs are much cooler to the touch than incandescent lights, which means there is less risk of burns or fires. LEDs are much more resistant to breakage because they are made with epoxy lenses, not glass.
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