Mercury - and why compact fluorescent bulbs are not the answer

On this page you will find many interesting articles and facts on the problems associated with the use of fluorescent and compact fluorescent lighting, the most important point being that they contain toxic mercury that is going directly into our landfills and is at risk of contaminating our waterways.  As a country and as individuals we must stop swapping one environmental disaster for another.

CFL and Fluorescent tubes contain mercury vapour but when the bulb is broken in landfill it changes into the far more toxic form of methylmercury.

Mercury in compact fluorescents - This document is very recent and comes from the lighting council of Australia.  It tells you that CFL's are perfectly safe but then stresses that Mercury is a toxic substance so certainly don't use your hands or your vaccuum cleaner to clean them up if broken.  If there is no recycling for CFL's in your area (there are hardly any) you should store your used CFL's until there is one or as a last resort place them in a pastic bag and put them in landfill.  Great! let's put more plastic bags in landfill and now with mercury inside them, even better!  At least this document does make reference to LED's as an alternative, we will get there eventually.

Clean Up Procedures - This is the United States Environmental Protection Agency web page for instructions on how to clean up a broken fluorescent tube or CFL.  It is enough to scare anyone.  Why would you have these in your home?

EPA Mercury  - The United States Environmental Protection Agency site devoted to mercury.  There is so much good information here about mercury and it's effects on human health and our environment.

Recycling- the responsible thing to do - This Australian article is quite old now, from January 2006, it talks about how we should be recycling fluorescent lights and they should be banned from landfill.  Nearly 3 years on, do you know of a recycling plant near you?  Chances are there isn't one and our government is irresponsibly recommending that CFL's be disposed of in landfill. 

Many countries have banned the disposal of Fluorescent tubes and CFL's in landfill - This is an interview with somone plugging their fluorescent recycling company, there is alot of very interesting and relevant information here. Again, do you know where to recycle your CFL's? And why bother when LED's last longer use less energy and don't contain toxic neurotoxins.

Disposal of CFL's in Australia - This is the Australian Government website for guidelines on 'safe' disposal of fluorescent lamps.  It tells us to wrap them in newspaper to prevent them from breaking if they are going to landfill.  (have you ever heard anything so ridiculous?) And for goodness sake don't put them in your recycling bin because they will contaminate the contents.  (but they won't contaminate landfill of course).

Natural News Articles - Natural news is an American website that shares many of our concerns over the use of fluorescent lightbulbs.  The information is also relevant to Australians.

Compact fluorescent light bulbs contaminate the environment with 30,000 pounds of mercury each year

Mercury Does Not Belong in Light Bulbs or Vaccines

Fluorescent lights release toxic mercury directly into the environment

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs May Be Hazardous to Your Health

Scientists issue urgent warning over global mercury contamination of fish

Fluorescent Light Bulbs Linked with Eczema, Seizures, Migraines, Skin Rashes