Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) are quickly gaining popularity. They save energy and money. But what about mercury levels in CFLs?
We receive this question a lot. Many of our customers are concerned about the future environmental impact of CFLs due to the mercury contained within the bulb. The cool burning illumination of a CFL is made possible by a trace amount (5 milligrams) of mercury, an amount that would cover the tip of a ballpoint pen. The mercury is contained within the ballast of the bulb, so it is enclosed and not emitted by using the bulb.
To increase the environmental benefit of CFLs, you should properly dispose and recycle the bulbs. We offer CFL recycling information as does any Home Depot store participating in our CFL Discount Program.
For more information on this topic, read Energy Star's fact sheet of frequently asked questions on CFLs and mercury as well as clean-up guidelines for broken CFLs.
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4 comments:
The mercury is in the tube, not the ballast.
The previous comment is correct - CFLs contain a very small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing (not the ballast) - an average of 5 milligrams (roughly equivalent to the tip of a ball-point pen). The "ballast" is the special power supply used to operate the CFL, and it is enclosed in the plastic shell of the CFL located between the glass part that creates the light and the Edison screw base. Screw-base CFLs are also called self-ballasted CFLs because the ballast is integrated into the lamp as a non-removable part.
My mother has read or heard somewhere that flourescents aggravate migraine headaches and arthritis. For the life of me, I haven't been able to find a word about either one of these theories/assertions anywhere. She refuses to go CFL for this reason, and I'd love to be able to point her toward some sort of hard research on the subject ...
The question about CFLs and migraines began popping up in early 2008 after an item in U.K Daily Mail presented questions asked by the Migraine Action Association as a statement of fact. No science has been offered to substantiate the suggestion that CFLs cause migraines. The flip side of the same coin is that there are relatively few online resources refuting the claim. EcoGeek came down hard on the subject, calling it a "crazy wildfire" of a rumor. TheDailyGreen.com also weighed in, quoting a representative from the migraine association as describing the connection between CFLs and migraines as "anecdotal." To date, no substantial research has been done on the subject that anyone's aware — or at least, that anyone has published online. You can find a number of articles and other information by searching on Google using: "CFLs cause migraines."
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