Do Light Bulbs Have Mercury in Them?
While the adoption of energy efficient light bulbs into more homes is a positive sign that more individuals are taking an active role in lowering their growing imprint, only a fraction of these consumers are aware of the environmental and health safety threat that is posed by the mercury in light bulbs. Do light bulbs have mercury in them? The short answer is yes. Let us take a look at the role of mercury in the new generation of light bulbs, the dangers posed by this substance and how to properly dispose of these light bulbs so that the mercury inside them is recycled back into the light bulb industry.
Why Do Only Some Light Bulbs Contain Mercury?
With the large number of different types of light bulbs that are on the market today, it is not always clear which light bulbs are safe to dispose of with your normal household waste and which need to be disposed of at a dedicated light bulb recycling center. The only light bulbs that contain mercury are those that rely on fluorescent glass, such as the tubular light bulbs used in light fixtures in most retail establishments and office setting and the compact fluorescent light bulbs that many people are using in their homes in place of incandescent light bulbs. Fluorescent light bulbs work through the presence of a fluorescent gas that gives off a great deal of UV light when it is conducting an electrical charge and then filtered through white glass of the light bulb into visible light. One of the main components of this fluorescent gas that allows it glow is mercury vapor.
Until the past few years, most of the light bulbs that were used in the average home were incandescent light bulbs. Incandescent light bulbs do not contain mercury because they produce light through the use of a more basic form of technology. These light bulbs generate light by conducting an electrical charge along a delicate filament of tungsten strung from one wire to another. Although incandescent light bulbs are a reliable form of lighting, they also waste 90% of the energy used by the bulb through heat radiation. In the last decade, the movement toward green technology has led more citizens to switch to the more energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs. These products leave a much smaller ecological footprint than their predecessors, but it is critical that consumers ensure that the mercury contained in compact fluorescent light bulbs is not released into the environment after the bulb stops functioning.
Is the Mercury Vapor Present in Fluorescent Light Bulbs Dangerous?
While there is only between one and three milligrams of mercury vapor present in every compact fluorescent light bulb, mercury is such a toxic substance that exposure to even a minuscule amount could be disastrous. Mercury can enter the body either by ingesting it as a liquid or by inhaling it as a vapor, causing a life threatening case of mercury poisoning. Once mercury makes its way to the blood stream and is conducted to the brain, the substance begins causing serious neurological damage. Symptoms of mercury poisoning include a severe skin rash and difficulty thinking. If left untreated, mercury poisoning can begin damaging the regions of the brain governing organ function, and the patient may enter cardiac arrest or respiratory failure.
Mercury also poses a threat to the natural environment. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has instituted comprehensive regulations and stiff penalties governing the proper handling and disposal of mercury due to the fact that only a small amount of mercury can cause lasting damage an ecosystem's ability to sustain life. Unlike the industrial process that leads to the manufacturing, shipping and sale of compact fluorescent light bulbs, the environment is not a closed system. If a significant amount of mercury makes it to a traditional landfill, it has the opportunity to escape into a the larger world as a whole, where it passed from one diseased creature to a next until it makes its way into our waterways and, eventually, our food.
How Used Fluorescent Light Bulbs Be Disposed Of?
As a result, a growing number of agencies and independent organizations are leading campaigns for public education on how and where to dispose of compact fluorescent light bulbs. In almost every community of the country, it is now easy to locate a local light bulb recycling center that is equipped to handle light bulbs that contain mercury. These facilities transfer the used light bulbs back to third party companies that harness the mercury vapor so that it can be recycled for use in the production of more energy efficient light bulbs.
So long as these products are handled properly, compact fluorescent light bulbs have the potential to lower our society's impact on the global climate. The EPA estimates that the equivalent of 3.5 million cars were of carbon emissions could be eliminated every year if every citizen made the switch to energy efficient light bulbs. However, it is up to us as consumers to ensure that the positive impact of this technology is not negated by the release of mercury toxins into our ecosystem.
Closing
In closing, there are three main points to remember when thinking about the mercury that is contained in certain light bulbs:
- A significant amount of mercury vapor is present in every fluorescent light, including the energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs that are replacing the traditional incandescent light bulb.
- This mercury vapor is a toxic substance and can be dangerous to both your family and the ecology of the planet.
- It is up every citizen who used fluorescent lighting and energy efficient light bulbs to see dispose of their used light bulbs at dedicate light bulb recycling centers.
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