'Green' Light Bulbs Pack Toxic Ingredient Compact fluorescent
light bulbs (CFLs) come in many shapes and sizes now. They're
energy efficient and save money in the long run. But they
contain small amounts of mercury and few recycling programs
exist to handle them. Highly efficient fluorescent light bulbs
are widely touted as environmentally friendly, but they have
created a recycling headache for the EPA and local governments.
More often than not, their toxic ingredients simply end up in
landfills, where the chemicals can leach into soil and water and
poison fish and other wildlife. The bulbs contain mercury and
should not be tossed in the trash like regular light bulbs.
“They’re very efficient, but once they’re used up they become a
ticking toxic time bomb," said Leonard Robinson, chief deputy
director of the California Department of Toxic Substances
Control. "They need to be captured and recycled." The bulbs
remain a good choice for the environmentally conscious, however,
because the amount of mercury they c