Q: Those squiggly light bulbs save energy, but aren't they bad for the environment because of the mercury in them?
A: We at Building Energy Technologies, LLC are big advocates of fluorescent bulbs, both in their compact form as well as the long, linear bulbs found in commercial settings. As parents and environmental advocates, we are concerned about mercury in our environment. Yet we feel the concern about mercury in fluorescent bulbs is overblown.
Besides being inexpensive, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) produce good quality light, are compact, and last about 10 times longer than incandescent light bulbs. They also use about 75% less electricity for the same amount of light as an incandescent bulb. For most applications they are an excellent substitute for Edison's old-fashioned light bulb. In fact a federal law passed in December 2007 will phase out the sale of incandescent light bulbs by 2014.
While some people feel we should avoid using CFLs because they contain mercury, most experts disagree. Yes, there is a small amount of mercury -- around 4/1000 of a gram -- in any fluorescent light bulb, be it the spiral CFLs or the straight fluorescent tubes. Mercury helps the bulb light up, but it is also a toxic substance.
Before getting worried, consider this: Using an incandescent light bulb indirectly releases more mercury than a CFL. An incandescent bulb doesn't contain mercury, but a coal burning power plant produces about 10 milligrams of mercury to generate the electricity needed to light an incandescent light bulb for a five-year span. Only about 2.5 milligrams of mercury is produced to light a CFL for the same time. So over a five-year period, an incandescent light bulb would be responsible for 10 milligrams of mercury, while a CFL would be responsible for 6.5 milligrams (4 in the bulb and 2.5 from electricity production). In Building Energy Technologies' hometown of Concord, NH coal-based pollution is as close as the Merrimack Station, a massive coal power plant in the southeast corner of Bow, NH. It burns about 100 train car loads of coal every three days. Really!
There are lots of items that contain mercury, and NONE of these should be disposed of in the regular trash. Did you know that some older thermostats contain 3,000+ milligrams of mercury?! That is why it is very important to dispose of old thermostats properly. Most of the Concord area is trash is incinerated, and despite extensive pollution controls, about 10 million milligrams of mercury are emitted each year from the Wheelabrator incinerator in Penacook.
What can we do to minimize environmental harm from our light bulbs?
(1) Install more CFLs and other fluorescent bulbs! Building Energy Technologies, LLC does this routinely as part of our energy improvement packages. But be careful handling them, and avoid using them in situations where CFLs could easily break.
(2) Keep old CFLs out of the trash. In fact, there is a now a New Hampshire law banning the disposal of items with mercury. Check with your town about its household hazardous waste disposal system for old CFLs and any other mercury-containing items. And encourage retailers to offer a CFL take-back program.
(3) If a CFL does break, be very careful when cleaning it up. The biggest concern is from mercury vapor being released into a room just after a breakage. Humans absorb more elemental mercury from breathing volatilized mercury vapors than from ingesting or touching it. It is important to ventilate a room when a fluorescent bulb breaks, and to store old bulbs so that they don't break. More specific procedures for cleaning up broken bulbs is at: http://maine.gov/dep/rwm/homeowner/cflreport.htm
(4) Raise awareness about mercury and the proper handling of mercury-containing devices. Sensitive populations such as pregnant women, young children, invalids and consumers of carnivorous fish are particularly susceptible to health effects from mercury exposure. We can all do our part to make this a healthy, sustainable planet.
Q: Can I use compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) in my dimmable fixtures?
A: No and yes. Standard compact fluorescent lamps will work poorly or not at all in dimmable fixtures. But dimmable CFLs are available, and the technology is improving with these bulbs. Modern dimmable CFLs will dim to an acceptably low level (about 50% light output), and they are less likely to hum compared to older versions. BUT dimmable CFLs are *not* compatible with older dimmers made before ~1992. Dimmable CFLs are also more expensive than regular CFLs. At Building Energy Technologies, LLC we recommend trying one out before installing a lot of dimmable CFLs. We want to help our customers save energy, but we also want them to have good quality light that they are happy with.
New Hampshire customers can also purchase dimmable compact fluorescent lamps, three-way CFLs, outdoor CFLs, candleabra CFLs, reflector CFLs and many other speciality energy efficiency products at a discount through the NH Saves catalog, sponsored by New Hampshire's electric utilities.
A: We at Building Energy Technologies, LLC are big advocates of fluorescent bulbs, both in their compact form as well as the long, linear bulbs found in commercial settings. As parents and environmental advocates, we are concerned about mercury in our environment. Yet we feel the concern about mercury in fluorescent bulbs is overblown.
