Letter: Take care when using fluorescent light bulbs

Saturday, Dec. 1, 2007 | 7:01 a.m.

In recent years there have been numerous ads that tout the advantages of low-energy compact fluorescent light bulbs, and I am in the process of updating my own home lighting to utilize them. They claim to produce approximately an 80 percent energy savings compared to standard incandescent bulbs.

In addition, low-energy compact fluorescent lamps can last up to 12 times longer than ordinary light bulbs, so even though they are initially more expensive, those two facts add up quickly to an overall cost reduction.

There are, however, some precautions that never seem to be mentioned in the ads. According to a recent issue of Scientific American, these new bulbs contain small amounts of mercury, a potent toxin.

Two precautions should be taken, therefore, when dealing with them. First, when they do burn out, ideally after many years, they should be recycled and not sent to landfills, where the mercury might enter the soil or groundwater. Many companies and communities are setting up such recycling programs.

Second, if a bulb is broken - they often explode upon failure - windows should be opened to allow mercury fumes to escape from the room, and cleanup should be done carefully. Broken glass should not be handled with bare hands, but with vinyl gloves. Small pieces can be picked up with pieces of tape such as duct tape or masking tape.

Wallace J. Henkelman, Henderson