Frequently Asked Questions
Information on Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs) and Mercury
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
– about the amount that would cover
the tip of a ballpoint pen. 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.
What are mercury emissions
caused by humans?
EPA estimates the U.S. is
responsible for the release of 104
metric tons of mercury emissions
each year. Most of these emissions
come from coal-fired electrical
power. Mercury released into the air
is the main way that mercury gets
into water and bio-accumulates in
fish. (Eating fish contaminated with
mercury is the main way for humans
to be exposed.)
Most mercury vapor inside
fluorescent light bulbs becomes
bound to the inside of the light
bulb as it is used. EPA estimates
that the rest of the mercury within
a CFL – about 11 percent – is
released into air or water when it
is sent to a landfill, assuming the
light bulb is broken. Therefore, if
all 290 million CFLs sold in 2007
were sent to a landfill (versus
recycled, as a worst case) – they
would add 0.13 metric tons, or 0.1
percent, to U.S. mercury emissions
caused by humans.
How do CFLs result in less
mercury in the environment compared
to traditional light bulbs?
Electricity use is the main source
of mercury emissions in the U.S.
CFLs use less electricity than
incandescent lights, meaning CFLs
reduce the amount of mercury into
the environment. As shown in the
table below, a 13-watt,
8,000-rated-hour-life CFL (60-watt
equivalent; a common light bulb
type) will save 376 kWh over its
lifetime, thus avoiding 4.5 mg of
mercury. If the bulb goes to a
landfill, overall emissions savings
would drop a little, to 4.2 mg. EPA
recommends that CFLs are recycled
where possible, to maximize mercury
savings.
Table 1
Light Bulb
Type
Watts Hours of Use kWh
Use
National Average
Mercury Emissions
(mg/kWh)
Mercury from
Electricity Use
(mg)
Mercury From
Landfilling
(mg)
Total Mercury
(mg)
CFL 13 8,000 104 0.012 1.2 0.4 1.6
Incandescent 60 8,000 480 0.012 5.8
0 5.8
Figure 1
Total Mercury Emissions, CFLs and
Incandescent
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
60 watt Incandescent 13watt CFL
Milligrams of Mercury
Landfilling
Power Plant
Emissions
Because CFLs also help to reduce
greenhouse gasses, other pollutants
associated with electricity
production, and landfill waste
(because the bulbs last longer),
they are clearly the environmental
winner when compared to traditional
incandescent light bulbs.
What precautions should I
take when using CFLs in my home?
CFLs are made of glass and can break
if dropped or roughly handled. Be
careful when removing the bulb from
its packaging, installing it, or
replacing it. Always screw and
unscrew the light bulb by its base
(not the glass), and never
forcefully twist the CFL into a
light socket. If a CFL breaks in
your home, follow the clean-up
recommendations below. Used CFLs
should be disposed of properly (see
below).
What should I do with a CFL
when it burns out?
EPA recommends that consumers take
advantage of available local
recycling options for compact
fluorescent light bulbs. EPA is
working with CFL manufacturers and
major U.S. retailers to expand
recycling and disposal options.
Consumers can contact their local
municipal solid waste agency
directly, or go to
www.epa.gov/bulbrecycling or
www.earth911.org to identify local
recycling options
If your state or local environmental
regulatory agency permits you to put
used or broken CFLs in the garbage,
seal the bulb in two plastic bags
and put it into the outside trash,
or other protected outside location,
for the next normal trash
collection. Never send a fluorescent
light bulb or any other
mercury-containing product to an
incinerator
If your ENERGY STAR qualified CFL
product burns out before it should,
look at the CFL base to find the
manufacturer’s name. Visit the
manufacturer’s web site to find the
customer service contact information
to inquire about a refund or
replacement. Manufacturers producing
ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs are
required to offer at least a
two-year limited warranty (covering
manufacturer defects) for CFLs used
at home. In the future, save your
receipts to document the date of
purchase.
How should I clean up a
broken fluorescent bulb?
Because CFLs contain a small amount
of mercury, EPA recommends the
following clean-up and disposal
guidelines:
1. Before Clean-up: Air Out
the Room
Have people and pets leave the room,
and don't let anyone walk through
the breakage area on their way out.
Open a window and leave the room for
15 minutes or more.Shut off the
central forced-air heating/air
conditioning system, if you have
one.
2. Clean-Up Steps for Hard
Surfaces
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. Use sticky tape, such as duct
tape, to pick up any remaining small
glass pieces and powder. Wipe the
area clean with damp paper towels or
disposable wet wipes. Place towels
in the glass jar or plastic bag. Do
not use a vacuum or broom to clean
up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.
3. Clean-up Steps for
Carpeting or Rug:
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. Use sticky
tape, such as duct tape, to pick up
any remaining small glass fragments
and powder. If vacuuming is needed
after all visible materials are
removed, vacuum the area where the
bulb was broken. Remove the vacuum
bag (or empty and wipe the
canister), and put the bag or vacuum
debris in a sealed plastic bag.
4. Clean-up Steps for
Clothing, Bedding, etc.:
If clothing or bedding materials
come in direct contact with broken
glass or mercury-containing powder
from inside the bulb that may stick
to the fabric, the clothing or
bedding should be thrown away. Do
not wash such clothing or bedding
because mercury fragments in the
clothing may contaminate the machine
and/or pollute sewage. You can,
however, wash clothing or other
materials that have been exposed to
the mercury vapor from a broken CFL,
such as the clothing you are wearing
when you cleaned up the broken CFL,
as long as that clothing has not
come into direct contact with the
materials from the broken bulb. If
shoes come into direct contact with
broken glass or mercury-containing
powder from the bulb, wipe them off
with damp paper towels or disposable
wet wipes. Place the towels or wipes
in a glass jar or plastic bag for
disposal.
5. Disposal of Clean-up
Materials
Immediately place all clean-up
materials outdoors in a trash
container or protected area for the
next normal trash pickup. Wash your
hands after disposing of the jars or
plastic bags containing clean-up
materials. Check with your local or
state government about disposal
requirements in your specific area.
Some states do not allow such trash
disposal. Instead, they require that
broken and unbroken
mercury-containing bulbs be taken to
a local recycling center.
6. Future Cleaning of
Carpeting or Rug: Air Out the Room
During and After Vacuuming
The next several times you vacuum,
shut off the central forced-air
heating/air conditioning system and
open a window before vacuuming. Keep
the central heating/air conditioning
system shut off and the window open
for at least 15 minutes after
vacuuming is completed. What is
mercury?
Mercury is an element (Hg on the
periodic table) found naturally in
the environment. Mercury emissions
in the air can come from both
natural and man-made sources.
Coal-fired power plants are the
largest man-made source because
mercury that naturally exists in
coal is released into the air when
coal is burned to make electricity.
Coalfired power generation accounts
for roughly 40 percent of the
mercury emissions in the U.S
The use of CFLs reduces power
demand, which helps reduce mercury
emissions from power plants.
For more information on all sources
of mercury, visit
http://www.epa.gov/mercur
For more information about compact
fluorescent bulbs, visit
http://www.energystar.gov/cfls
EPA is continually reviewing its
clean-up and disposal
recommendations for CFLs to ensure
that the Agency presents the most
up-to-date information for