News

National Lighting Bureau

Communications Office

8811 Colesville Road / Suite G106

Silver Spring, MD  20910

Tel. 301.587.9572

www.nlb.org

               

John P. Bachner

john@nlb.org

301/587-9572

 

 

NATIONAL LIGHTING BUREAU WEIGHS IN ON

MERCURY IN COMPACT FLUORESCENT (CFL) LIGHTING

 

Silver Spring, MD – “There’s so much misinformation about mercury in compact fluorescent (CFL) lighting, American consumers are being discouraged from using them. The overall effect is counterproductive for the nation as a whole. In fact, use of CFLs will result in far less mercury in the environment rather than more.” So says John P. Bachner, communications director of the National Lighting Bureau. Established in 1976, the National Lighting Bureau is an independent lighting information source sponsored by industry, professional societies, trade associations, utilities, and agencies of the federal government.

 

According to Bachner, “Consumers’ biggest concern is the impact of the mercury vapor that can be released into household air when a CFL is broken. However, even in a small room, the impact on air quality is well below danger levels established by [the Occupational Health and Safety Administration]. In fact, the amount of mercury in a typical CFL is not enough to coat the head of a pin; the average swordfish contains 20 times as much mercury. Besides, when a CFL is broken, most of its mercury adheres to the glass and does not disperse into the air. Reasonable caution is all that’s needed to deal

 

 

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Mercury in CFLs                                                                                                                             John P. Bachner

(ADD ONE)                                                                                                                  301/587-9572 /john@nlb.org 

 

with the situation. There’s no reason to fear serious, long-term health effects or to call for an emergency-response unit, as some people have done.”

 

The Environmental Protection Agency’s guidance on cleaning up a broken CFL is available at the National Lighting Bureau website (www.nlb.org), as is a well-received white paper – “Recycling Household CFLs” – developed by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA).  

 

Bachner pointed out that CFLs actually reduce the amount of mercury that enters our atmosphere, because they use so much less electricity than ordinary incandescent bulbs. Most of the nation’s electricity is generated by coal-fired power plants; coal combustion releases mercury and other chemicals into the atmosphere. The amount of mercury and other chemicals now being released to the nation’s air to power household incandescent lighting could be reduced by 75% or more “simply by switching to CFLs,” Bachner said. He continued, “The health and environmental risks posed by replacing incandescent bulbs with CFLs is far, far less than the health and environmental risks posed by not replacing incandescent bulbs with CFLs.”

 

Although the amount of mercury in the typical CFL can be characterized as tiny, “we still need to be concerned about the proper disposal and recycling of CFLs,” Bachner said, noting that America’s lighting-product manufacturers are taking a lead role in addressing the issue. He said they are continuing to work on an energy-efficient replacement for mercury and, in the interim, those manufacturers that are members of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) have agreed to strictly limit the mercury content of their CFL products. He noted that CFL recycling technology already is being used, and that the only real CFL-recycling challenge now is making disposal easier for

 

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Mercury in CFLs                                                                                                                                John P. Bachner

(ADD TWO)                                                                                                                  301/587-9572 /john@nlb.org 

 

consumers. The National Lighting Bureau is one of several organizations now working to develop CFL collection centers in every U.S. community. IKEA stores have already agreed to participate, and the U.S. Postal Service is starting an experimental program. “We expect that steadily more retailers will want to lend a hand, because CFL recycling connects them to a worthwhile, ‘green’ cause while also building consumer traffic,” Bachner said. He added that “time is on our side, given that the average CFL installed today will not need to be recycled for seven to ten years, CFLs can last that long.” He commented that, during the same 7-to-10-year period, consumers might have to replace an incandescent bulb as many as five times or more. “So more reliance on CFLs would also result in fewer manufacturing resources being used, including electricity, and less burden on the nation’s waste stream,” he said.

 

More information about the National Lighting Bureau is available at its website (www.nlb.org) or by contacting the National Lighting Bureau Communications Office (8811 Colesville Road, Suite G106, Silver Spring, MD  20910; tel. 301/587-9572; fax 301/589-2017; e-mail info@nlb.org).

 

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EDITOR PLEASE NOTE: The EPA’s broken-CFL clean-up guidance is reproduced below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY’S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR

DEALING WITH A BROKEN CFL

Before Clean-up: Ventilate the Room

  1. Have people and pets leave the room, and don't let anyone walk through the breakage area on their way out.
  2. Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
  3. Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one.

Clean-Up Steps for Hard Surfaces

  1. Carefully scoop up glass fragments and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
  2. Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
  3. Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes and place them in the glass jar or plastic bag.
  4. Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.

Clean-up Steps for Carpeting or Rug

  1. Carefully pick up glass fragments and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
  2. Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
  3. If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken.
  4. Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic bag.

Disposal of Clean-up Materials

  1. Immediately place all cleanup materials outside the building in a trash container or outdoor protected area for the next normal trash.
  2. Wash your hands after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing clean-up materials.

10.        Check with your local or state government about disposal requirements in your specific area. Some states prohibit such trash disposal and require that broken and unbroken mercury-containing bulbs be taken to a local recycling center.

Future Cleaning of Carpeting or Rug: Ventilate the Room During and After Vacuuming

11.        The next several times you vacuum, shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system and open a window prior to vacuuming.

12.        Keep the central heating/air conditioning system shut off and the window open for at least 15 minutes after vacuuming is completed.