A Bright Idea Dimmed

I recently purchased a number of Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs) to replace the bulbs in a variety of locations in my home. I admit I didn’t do a ton of research regarding CFLs, but I haven’t been living under a rock, either. Based on the information readily available via the news, few of us can argue the advantages of moving from traditional lighting to CFLs.

But there’s a bit more to this than meets the eye—or ear.

The first few times I looked into replacing my incandescent lights with CFLs, I was shocked by the initial monetary outlay that would be required, and immediate economics won out over the long-term benefits and ecological advantages. (Several years ago, replacing my household lighting would have run hundreds of dollars.) Recently, more companies have gotten on board, and the increase in competition among manufacturers has resulted in a dramatic reduction in CLF pricing. In addition, CFLs are now being made in a greater variety of sizes, shapes, and wattages.

This is all good news, and when I ran across a really good sale last week, I filled my cart with CFLs.

When I got home and began the bulb-replacement process, I learned that all CFLs are not created equally: many are not suited for three-way lights, lights that use dimmer switches, or lights that employ timers. My home is filled with fixtures that dim or have three-way switches: each of which was purchased with energy savings in mind. I also have exterior lighting that runs on timers and/or sensors to prevent burning bulbs unnecessarily during daylight when I know my workday will find me returning home after nightfall. (The area in which I live is in the middle of nowhere, is devoid of community lighting, and gives real meaning to darkness. It’s nothing like the city, and both safety and reality require I have a bit of light by which to walk inside.)

Most of the CFLs I had were useless: they were not fit for many of my fixtures. I replaced those bulbs that I could, and then I jumped on the internet to do some of the research I had previously neglected.

I learned the three-way, dimmer switch, and timer issues were moot with many brands, but I also learned a bit more: these bulbs have mercury, and if broken, they do represent a potential (though minor) health hazard.

A CFL bulb generally contains an average of 5 mg of mercury (about one-fifth of that found in the average watch battery, and less than 1/100th of the mercury found in an amalgam dental filling).

Okay—this isn’t great news, but it isn’t terrible either. I don’t ever recall breaking a light bulb in my life—save for the occasional Christmas light suffering its demise while I removed light strings—so I am probably not in real danger.

With that said, I found the following handling cautions confusing:

Handling and Disposal of CFLs

The mercury in compact fluorescent bulbs poses no threat while in the bulb, but if you break one:

1. Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.


2. Immediately use a wet rag to clean it up, and put all of the pieces and the rag into a plastic bag.


3. Place all materials in a second sealed plastic bag.


4. Call your local recycling center to see if they accept this material; otherwise, put it in your local trash. Wash your hands afterward.


5. If a bulb breaks on a carpet, pick up the pieces using sticky tape. If any debris remains, use the vacuum and dispose of vacuum bag by sealing it in plastic bags (as above), before disposal.

Take a close look at the contradiction presented in items one and two: in the event I do break one of these new bulbs, do I open up the windows and leave or do I “immediately” clean things up?

There's a lot of bagging and double-bagging in the safety instructions, and it seems to me all the CSI stuff supercedes leaving; on the other hand, might one leave for fifteen or more minutes and return to the scene for cleaning?

All of this confusion coupled with the fact that some bulbs aren't suitable for some fixtures dims an otherwise bright idea.