compact fluorescent bulbs actually reduce the mercury pollution from the single largest U.S. source: coal-fired power plants. "Probably the most important thing that people need to connect with compact fluorescents is that they save significant quantities of energy," Berlow adds. "We're talking about two thirds to three quarters of the energy associated with lighting being reduced." Full Story »
Posted by Kaizar Campwala
The article is a bit misleading. Mercury is toxic, and finding the 5 mg of it that spills out of a broken bulb might be tough. In the lab we sprinkle sulfur on mercury spills - the sulfur reacts with the mercury to reduce its vapor pressure and minimize its impact. Also, the mercury released at a power plant is a long way from you, whereas the mercury released with a broken bulb is right in your home, so it is much more likely to be ingested and the danger is greater. I am not convinced it is worth the health risk to have mercury bulbs in my home.
