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Compact
Fluorescent Lighting
(CFL) Disposal
Fluorescent lighting offers a great advance relative to
incandescent lighting when it comes to both energy usage and
bulb cost and lifetime operating expense. However, CFL tubes
and compact twisted bulbs contain mercury, a toxic substance
which must be disposed of with care. The need to move from
incandescent to fluorescent lighting is undeniable, but the
means for disposable is sadly lagging behind.
The following is 1) a brief summary of why we should make
the painless transition to CFLs and 2) a description of how
to dispose of them plus 3) a request for residents to urge
city officials to improve the current inadequate CFL disposal
mechanism.
1. Why
we should transition to CFLs
The following is extracted from a U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) web site:
Why
should people use CFLs?
Switching from traditional light bulbs (called incandescent)
to CFLs is an effective, simple change everyone in America
can make right now. Making this change will help to use less
electricity at home and prevent
greenhouse gas emissions that lead to
global climate change.
Lighting accounts for close to 20 percent of the average
home’s electric bill. ENERGY STAR
qualified CFLs use up to 75 percent less energy
(electricity) than incandescent
light bulbs, last up to 10 times longer, cost little
up front, and provide a quick return on investment.
If every home in America replaced just one
incandescent light bulb with
an ENERGY STAR qualified CFL, in one year it would save
enough energy to light more than 3 million homes. That would
prevent the release of greenhouse gas emissions equal to
that of about 800,000 cars.
Do CFLs
contain mercury?
CFLs contain a very small amount of mercury sealed within
the glass tubing – an
average of 4 milligrams. By comparison, older thermometers
contain about 500 milligrams of mercury – an amount equal to
the mercury in 125 CFLs. Mercury is an essential part of
CFLs; it allows the bulb to be an efficient light source. No
mercury is released when the bulbs are intact (not broken)
or in use.
Most makers of light bulbs have reduced mercury in their
fluorescent lighting products.
Thanks to technology advances and a commitment from members
of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, the
average mercury content in CFLs has dropped at least 20
percent in the past year. Some manufacturers have even made
further reductions, dropping mercury content to 1.4 – 2.5
milligrams per light bulb.
An additional consideration is that mercury emission occurs
during the production of
electricity generation from fossil fuels. CFLs consume
less than 25% of the electrical energy required by
equivalent incandescent bulbs. Hence there is a 75%
reduction in the mercury emissions at the electric
generation plant when you 'turn on' a CFL rather than an
incandescent.
2.
Proper Disposal of CFLs --- LA City Has a Problem
The Los Angeles City Bureau of Sanitation web site advises
us that:
•
Decomposing batteries and Fluorescent bulbs and tubes in
landfills leak chemicals and gases that can contaminate our
air, water and even food.
•
Disposing of household batteries and Fluorescent bulbs and
tubes and other chemicals in your trash, storm drains or
sewers damages the environment, and is
against the law.
Although the
san.org website source concerns itself primarily
with battery disposal, it has information of general
interest and may be viewed at:
http://www.lacitysan.org/solid_resources/pdfs/Whats_New_Batteries_&_Bulbs.pdf
Unfortunately, the Bureau of Sanitation only has six (6)
hazardous material disposal locations spread across the
vast city of Los Angeles. Adding insult to injury, these
locations are available to us for drop offs only on
weekends. The locations and days/hours of operation are
described at:
http://www.lacity.org/san/solid_resources/special/hhw/safe_centers/index.htm
The closest one to us is located at 4600 Colorado Blvd. near
the LA River and the LA/Glendale city boundary (i.e near the
junction of the 134 and 5 freeways). It's awkward to get to
and requires both driving time and operating expense for
each drop off.
However, some commercial establishments are providing
drop-off capability for local residents. The one nearby
location of which I am aware is the Home Depot on Sunset
Blvd. Their RETURNS area provides a bin for both
fluorescent light
tubes/bulbs and batteries. IF YOU KNOW OF ANY OTHER
LOCATIONS, PLEASE ADVISE US.
3. Lend a
Hand - Add Your Voice
The LA City Government and Bureau of Sanitation preparations
to avoid a future health problem when millions of CFLs are
discarded on a daily basis is not worthy of this great city.
Kindly consider contacting the Council District 4 Office and
advise our Councilman of your concern. They can be reached
by phone and email at:
Phone: (213) 473-7004
Downtown
(323) 957-6415 Hollywood
Field Office
(818) 755-7630 Toluca
Lake Field Office
Email:
councilmember.labonge@lacity.org
This message came to you from
Leonard Efron (leonardefron@yahoo.com)
Phone:
323-464-1877
(home),
323-854-9526
(cell)
Note: Do NOT use CFLs in combination with dimmer
switches. These bulbs cannot fluctuate in brightness and the
result will be a burned out dimmer switch. |
