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Re-activateConcerned about mercury in your lightbulbs? Manufacturers are on the case. A dozen compact fluorescent lightbulb (CFL) manufacturers recently agreed to lower the maximum mercury allowed, according to the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, a trade group.
CFLs use about 75 percent less energy and last up to 10 times longer than regular incandescent bulbs. Mercury helps produce light in compact fluorescent bulbs and that's been a concern to some consumers worried about the element's toxicity. The Environmental Protection Agency and environmental groups have said that the amount of mercury, which is sealed within the CFL's glass tubing, is very small and that an old-style thermometer contains 100 times that amount or more. Still
The NEMA members include Feit, GE, Philips, and Sylvania and the bulbs—all Energy Star-qualified—are already on store shelves. They contain at least 1 milligram less mercury than the current Energy Star caps. For example, a CFL using less than 25 watts, caps the average mercury content at 4 milligrams, and for a CFL that uses 25 to 40 watts, the average content is 5 mg. at most. Using an average allows for slight variations in manufacturing—3.9 to 4.1 mg. for example—says Craig Updyke, NEMA's manager for trade and commercial affairs.
Read more on the Home & Garden blog.
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