Recently I had a discussion with a potential client about mercury levels in fluorescent light bulbs and the adverse impact they have on the environment. The client was concerned about the mercury levels in Compact Fluorescent bulbs or CFL bulbs.

I told him, yes, it’s true, Compact Fluorescent bulbs or CFL bulbs contain small amounts of mercury, and I do mean “small” amounts of mercury. The mercury in the CFL bulbs would only get released in the environment if the CFL bulb breaks.
 
But data shows that CFL bulbs are very energy efficient. By switching from incandescent bulbs to CFL bulbs, you get several benefits.  Not only do CFL bulbs last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs, they also use about 70% less electricity. That means you see those huge electricity bills become less taxing on your checkbook.
 
Of course like anything else that breaks, if a CFL bulb breaks, we have to be very, very careful when disposing it off. It is recommended that you use rubber gloves and place the broken pieces in a plastic bag. Also it is important to wipe the place where the bulb fell with wet paper towels. And be sure to ventilate the room or the area where the CFL broke, for a minimum of 2-3 hours.
 
And for CFL bulbs that are simply burned out but not broken, never ever throw them in the garbage. Home Depot is one store that offers recycling of CFL bulbs. If you recycle, the mercury in the CFL bulbs will not enter the environment.
 
Ironically, a power plant emits more mercury to produce the electricity needed to run an incandescent bulb than the small amount of mercury that is used in a CFL bulb which runs for the same amount of time. Besides, we know that the highest source of mercury in our air comes from burning fossil fuels such as coal.

So don’t debate the CFL bulb benefits. Trust us, we electricians know a bit about energy saving resources and helping you achieve energy efficiencies.
 
Oh and before I forget, Centrim Electric is getting ready to launch a full-fledged alternative energy division. We feel the industry is shifting to include a more diverse spectrum of green and cost efficient energy sources, and we at Centrim Electric want to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to new innovating concepts and ideas in our field. Stay tuned for an announcement coming soon…..