Disposing of fluorescent light bulbs
July 1st, 2008More and more, people are switching from incandescent to fluorescent light bulbs in an effort to be more energy efficient. There’s even an international campaign to stop use of incandescent bulbs.
But do you know the proper way to dispose of them? Don’t feel bad, because most people don’t, and they end up in the garbage. If they break in transit, the garbage collectors are exposed to the mercury inside, not to mention when the bulbs enter our landfills. Even though the smaller spiral shaped fluorescent bulbs for lamps contain less mercury than the standard long cylinders, they can still be hazardous to our health if not disposed of properly at certified waste recycling centers.
General Electric is looking into a national solution to the problem, and plans to meet with legislators as they know it will become a crucial issue with the significant increase in use of fluorescent bulbs.
LED lights on the other hand contain no mercury and are much more energy efficient than either incandescent or fluorescent bulbs. They do cost more initially, but pay for themselves in the long run and have no disposal issues