Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFL) Are Not All Their Cracked Up To Be

Compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs have become very popular in recent years due to the assumption that they are environmentally friendly. While it is true that they use less energy than incandescent light bulbs, CFL bulbs actually have mercury inside them, which is a toxic metal that can contaminate landfills and harm the environment.

According to a 2008 report from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection when a CFL bulb is broken, a dangerously high level of mercury is released into the air. Normal mercury standarda are 300 nanograms of mercury per cubic meter of air, but when a CFL bulb breaks, more than 50,000 nanograms per cubic meter. That is over 166 times more than what is considered safe.

Offering a safe place to dispose of CFL bulbs is important. Toronto requires people to dispose of such bulbs at a designated hazardous waste facility so that the landfills do not become contaminated with mercury. They understand that excess mercury released into the earth is toxic to the environment.

If you are wondering how a CFL bulb in a landfill can hard the environment, what happens is that the mercury can end up in rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and water tables due to waste runoff. The more CFL bulbs in a landfill, the more potential for environmental harm.

Experts also assert that CFL bulbs give off a great deal of radiation, which can cause migraine headaches, fatigue, sleep disruptions, and more. CLF bulbs give off a “dirty energy” that has negative consequences on people and the environment. The eco-friendly companies that sell CFL bulbs keep quiet about this because they do not want people to know the truth, as it would affect their revenue.

Additionally, the voltage reduction technology in CFL bulbs effects the emission of EMF pollution, which can have a negative effect on humans. CFL bulbs are the highest EMF polluters that people have in their homes.

You may wonder what is a great alternative to CFL bulbs and the answer is light-emitting diode, or LED light bulbs. They are less toxic to the environment and work just as well as any other bulb. LED lights may be a bit more expensive, but well worth the investment as a safe environment is worth more than anything.

Go ahead and invest in LED lights for your home and office. If by chance you cannot afford LED light bulbs, use incandescent light bulbs until the prices go down or a better alternative comes around. Let’s keep our landfills and air free from toxic mercury and choose to bypass CFL bulbs. Let’s really care about our environment.