New reports have revealed that the remarkable energy saving compact florescent bulbs may only save energy and not the environment.
Mercury Hazard
Each of these light bulbs contain mercury. And although it is only the size amount of a period at the end of a sentence, this amount can still be harmful if inhaled.
The majority of these light bulbs are ending up in the trash. And that leaves tiny bits of mercury in the landfills. Mercury can then spread from the landfills to eventually end up in our natural water supplies, like lakes and rivers.
Broken Bulbs
There are some instructions on how to handle one of these bulbs is it breaks.
-First avoid inhaling the harmful mercury by opening windows and leaving the room for a few minutes.
-Do not vacuum up the pieces. Instead, use duct tape to pick up the remains with the sticky side.
Disposal
As of yet, stores that sell these bulbs do not offer a way to safely throw them away. A person must locate a facility that will accept them and dispose of them properly.
Many facilities that handle these as trash do not see many come in at this point. These bulbs are sill new to the market and last a long time, which could hold up the need to dispose of any yet. Consumers are also just unaware of the need for special treatment of the burned out bulbs, despite instructions on the box.
