Building Operating Management
Some have balked at converting to CFLs because of the mercury contained in fluorescent lamps. A closer look, however, reveals that using CFLs actually reduces hazardous waste. The lead, which is also a hazardous waste, built into the base of incandescent lamps requires, in most areas, their disposal or at least that of their bases as lead-bearing hazardous waste. The relatively short lives of incandescents further exacerbates that problem since five to 10 of them are needed merely to match the lifetime of a single CFL. Besides, CFLs contain very little lead. But when the situation is carefully analyzed, the mercury issue actually favors CFLs over incandescents, which contain no mercury.
More than half the electricity generated in the United States is made by burning coal, which contains mercury. As the coal is burned, the mercury is vaporized and sent up the smoke stack. Mercury in vapor form is much more dangerous than when confined in a landfill. To produce the same light output as a CFL, an incandescent typically consumes three to four times as much of that coal-fired electricity, resulting in much higher overall mercury emissions than occur from use of CFLs. While electric utilities that burn coal are being pressed to control their mercury emissions, it will likely be decades, if ever, before that equation is reversed.
In contrast, the lighting industry has reduced the amount of mercury used in CFLs over the years. One major CFL manufacturer recently announced a new line of CFLs that contain 75 percent less mercury than standard CFLs.
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EasyPak™ CFL Recycling
The
EasyPak™ CFL Recycling Container makes recycling CFLs simple. Just fill the bucket with CFLs, return it using the included prepaid mailing label, and track your recycling efforts with online Recycling Reports.
Learn more » EasyPak™ CFL Recycling Container
