How much mercury is in a fluorescent lamp?
The amount of mercury in a fluorescent lamp ranges between 3.5 to 15 milligrams, depending on the type of fluorescent lamp, the manufacturer, and when the fluorescent lamp was manufactured. Although lighting manufacturers have greatly reduced the amount of mercury used in lighting over the past 20 years, they are not yet able to completely eliminate the need for mercury. 670 million mercury-containing lamps are sold in the United States each year. Approximately 76% of these lamps are improperly discarded at the end-of-life. Although the amount of mercury in a single fluorescent lamp is small, collectively, large numbers of fluorescent lamps contribute to the amount of mercury that is released into the environment. EPA encourages the recycling of all mercury-containing lamps.
