How much mercury is in compact fluorescent bulbs?
The average mercury content in a CFL is about 3 milligrams – roughly the amount it would take to cover the tip of a ball-point pen. By comparison, older thermometers contain 500 milligrams of mercury – the equivalent of more than 100 CFLs. A common wristwatch battery contains five times more mercury than a CFL. Although there is currently no substance that can replace the efficiency properties of mercury to produce light in fluorescent lamps, manufacturers have reduced the amount of mercury used in lamps. Some manufacturers have voluntarily reduced the mercury content in CFLs by about 80% in the past decade, to as little as 2 mg per bulb. Research is ongoing to achieve further reductions and, ultimately, to develop a mercury-free fluorescent lamp. The chart below compares the mercury content in a CFL to other household items.
Related Questions
- Compact fluorescent lamps contain mercury, a hazardous material, incandescent bulbs do not. If more compact fluorescent lamps are used, does it not mean more mercury pollution in the EU?
- How much Mercury is in Compact Fluorescent (CFL) bulbs, watch batteries, and coal-fired power plants?
- How much mercury is in compact fluorescent bulbs?
