For Immediate Release

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Contact: Michael Bender, 802.223.9000

Bill Magavern, 916.557.1100, x102

Consumers Advised on Mercury Risks from CFL Breakage by NGOs, States

Recently released results of tests conducted by the State of Maine suggest that under certain conditions mercury vapor released from a broken compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) can pose a health risk. A new report prepared for the Mercury Policy Project and co-released by Sierra Club California concludes that, while sensitive populations should take extra precautions to reduce risks associated with breakage, CFLs can and should still be used in everyone’s homes until a nontoxic light bulb becomes available.

“People should feel perfectly comfortable buying and using compact fluorescent lamps in their homes,” said Bill Magavern, Director of Sierra Club California. “CFLs play an important role in increasing efficiency, cutting home energy costs andcurbing global warming. Just as with many other household products, consumers should take some precautions if a bulb happens to break or when it's time to recycle one,” Magavern added.

“Currently, using CFLs is still the brightest idea out there, both for energy cost savings and to mitigate climate change,” said Michael Bender, director of the Mercury Policy Project. “Yet both government agencies and the manufacturers have a responsibility to inform consumers about what to do—and what not to do—when a CFL breaks. Our message is not ‘Be afraid,’ it’s ‘Be informed, and be prepared’.”

According to Bender, when a CFL breaks, the most important risk-reducing steps are to ventilate the breakage area by opening a window and then to follow correct, safe clean up procedures, including not using a vacuum cleaner or a broom. Pregnant women and children should leave the room while the breakage is cleaned up. This recommendation is based on strong scientific evidence that the very young and the fetus are much more sensitive than older groups are to the toxic effects of mercury, said Bender.

Experts also caution parents to avoid using CFLs in fixtures that can easily be knocked over, especially in homes with energetic children and pets. “You can reduce the risk of CFL breakage by not putting them in tall lamps, unprotected wall fixtures or lamps that might fall off tables,” said Ned Groth, a scientist who wrote the report on behalf of MPP.

The report, “Shedding Light on Mercury Risks from CFL Breakage,” also recommends the adoption of more comprehensive environmental and human health guidelines by decision makers that, in addition to energy-efficiency, address other concerns, including:

· Reduced toxicity while maintaining performance;

· Improved breakage resistance and longer lamp life (which can reduce manufacturing, transportation and disposal impacts);

· Sustainable manufacturing processes (such as the use of encapsulated mercury-dosing technologies);

· Responsible end-of-life management (particularly through producer responsibility in funding lamp collection and retailer collection programs)

· Innovative technologies such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that use less- or non-toxic materials, that have significantly longer life, are much more efficient for certain applications, and/or that offer other measurable environmental benefits.

CFLs significantly reduce mercury, greenhouse gases and other toxic emissions from power plants, and are three times more efficient than standard incandescent light bulbs.

Yet today, only about 2% of the mercury-containing lamps discarded by residents, and less than 30% of those discarded by government and industry are recycled. Broken mercury-containing lights release an estimated 2 to 4 tons of mercury vapor into the environment each year and that number, as well as the numbers of broken CFLs in homes, is projected to grow as more lamps are used.

California law requires mercury-containing lamps to be recycled, not thrown in the trash, but state and local governments have struggled to provide recycling opportunities to residents, and lamp manufacturers have not taken responsibility for end-of-life disposition of their products.

“Fluorescent lamps are unnecessarily breaking and releasing mercury in homes across the United States when consumers toss these fragile items into their waste baskets, trash compacters and recycling bins,” explained Alicia Culver, executive director of the Green Purchasing Institute, who contributed to the report. “Lamp manufacturers could prevent a significant amount of mercury releases in homes by better labeling their products, offering more mercury-free options, and funding a nationwide lamp recycling program as they have already done in Europe,” she added.

More information:

Mercury Policy Project report, “Shedding Light on Mercury Risks from CFL Breakage.”

http://www.mercurypolicy.org/new/documents/Final_Shedding_Light_ALL.pdf

Maine Compact Fluorescent Lamp Breakage Study Report, http://www.maine.gov/dep/rwm/homeowner/cflreport.htm

Sierra Club’s Recommendations for the Purchase of CFLs:

n Whenever available, choose CFLs in an ENERGY STAR–labeled package. This will help

ensure you buy a more energy efficient and higher performing product.

n Choose the CFL that meets your needs and has the longest rated life. Look for products that last at least 10,000 hours. This information is almost always printed on the package.

n Choose the most energy-efficient model with the fewest watts to give you the light output you need. (CFLs tend to fade over their life; so pick one slightly brighter than the incandescent lamp you are replacing.)

n Choose lamps made by companies pledging to keep mercury content below 5- 6 mg by going to www.nema.org/gov/ehs/committees/lamps/cfl-mercury.cfm.

n Choose CFLs that manufacturers advertise as lead-free.

n Choose retailers that offer to collect spent CFLs (and other fluorescent lamps). While Ikea is the only U.S. retailer nationally that recycles burned-out CFLs consumers bring back to stores, a retailer-financed lamp “take-back” program has been established in Europe. Encourage manufacturers/retailers in your community to set up on-going recycling programs for their customers.

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