Seattle Times - The brilliance of compact fluorescent bulbs
Filed under: Earth 911 - January 6, 2007
Consumer watch - You might want to make a light switch
Alan J. Heavens, The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Seattle Times
January 6, 2007 Saturday
Fourth Edition
Lightbulbs are synonymous with bright ideas in cartoons, at any rate. But compact fluorescent bulbs can also be a small, yet brilliant, step toward energy efficiency. The Department of Energy says they use two-thirds less energy than incandescent bulbs and last 10 times longer.
Why buy? Compact fluorescent bulbs (also known as CFLs) are available in different sizes and shapes including mini-spiral, spiral and A-line that fit almost any fixture. On average, each bulb can save more than $30 in electricity costs over its lifetime and prevent more than 450 pounds of greenhouse-gas emissions.
CFLs and fixtures that use them that have earned the EPA’s Energy Star rating and produce about 70 percent less heat, so they’re safer to use and can help cut energy costs associated with home cooling. (Consider that a halogen bulb in a torchiere lamp is 700 to 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit.)
Need to know: Choose the right bulb or fixture. Look for one that offers the same lumen rating as the light you’re replacing. Manufacturers often label these products in terms of watt replacement, which can also guide your decision-making. Energy-efficient lighting will provide the same or more light while using fewer watts. Dimmers enable you to set the mood with a range of light output, but check the bulb or fixture’s packaging to be sure it will perform well on a dimmer.
What will it cost? On average, a CFL costs $3 more than a comparable incandescent bulb, but that’s not how the government measures the difference. Go to www.energystar.gov/ia/business/bulk_purchasing/bpsavings_calc/Calc_CFLs.xls to compute actual costs and savings.
Operating manual: For the biggest energy savings, replace incandescents or halogens with CFLs in the rooms you spend the most time in, such as your family and living rooms, kitchen and porch. Place the bulbs in open fixtures that allow air flow.
Cautionary tale: CFLs contain very small amounts of mercury sealed within the glass tubing an average of 5 milli-grams, roughly equivalent to the amount of ink on the tip of a ballpoint pen. Mercury is what enables the CFL to be an efficient light source; there is currently no substitute for it, but manufacturers have been trying to reduce the amount used. CFLs are safe to use in the home, according to the Department of Energy: No mercury is released when the bulbs are in use, and they pose no danger if used properly, though care should be taken when handling because the tubing is glass.
Disposal issues: Seattle prohibits the disposal of mercury in household trash. For proper disposal, take burned-out CF bulbs to a Household Hazardous Waste site. For locations and hours, go to www.cityofseattle.net/util/services, click on “garbage” and then “hazardous waste disposal and reduction.”
You can also check Earth911.org, which locates disposal options by ZIP code; call the U.S. Environmental Recycling Hotline at 877-327-8491; or contact your local waste-management agency for community guidelines.
Additional information is available at Lamprecycle.org. Ikea takes back used CFLs, and other retailers are considering it.
If no other disposal options are available in your area except the trash can, place CFLs in a plastic bag and seal it. Never send a CFL or other mercury-containing product to an incinerator.
Seattle Times staff contributed to this report