Los Angeles Times report
Unrecycled New Light Bulbs Release Mercury into the Environment http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lightbulb-mercury-20110407,0,3406825.storyThe nation’s accelerating shift from incandescent lighting to a new generation of energy-efcient bulbs is raising an environmental concern: the release of tons of mercury every year.The most popular new bulb–the compact fluorescent light bulb, or CFL–accounts for a quarter of new bulb sales. Each contains up to 5 milligrams of mercury, a potent neurotoxin that’s on the worst-offending list of environmental contaminants.Demand for CFL bulbs is growing as government mandates for energy-efficient lighting take effect, yet only about 2% of residential consumers and one-third of businesses recycle the new bulbs, according to the Assn. of Lighting and Mercury Recyclers. As a result, U.S. landfills are releasing more than 4 tons of mercury annually into the atmosphere and storm water runoff, according to a study in the Journal of the Air and Waste Management Assn.http://ow.ly/4w2dZ
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