How much mercury is in a CFL bulb?

[MusicShark]

I google around but haven't found a real answer.
This website says:
The median mercury exposure from breaking a CFL is only 0.07 mcg, while single serving of Albacore tuna has 48 mcg.
http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/cfl.html

But acording to this article:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-506347/An-energy-saving-bulb-gone--evacuate-room-now.html
It says the mercury exposure from breaking a CFL is very dangerous.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-506347/An-energy-saving-bulb-gone--evacuate-room-now.html

My uncle is an anti CFL bulb. He said, "if the CFL broke, he will have to call the hazmat team to clean it. No CFL bulb in his house.

[Dr. J]

Try this:

http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/cfl.asp

also

http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/promotions/change_light/downloads/Fact_Sheet_Mercury.pdf

Bottom line - 4-5 mg of mercury.

According to this site:

http://www.pbs.org/now/science/mercuryinfish.html

Tuna has 53 ug of mercury per g tuna. 6 oz of tuna is 170g, which is about 9 mg of mercury. [The PBS website's numbers are rather confusing]

So, 2 CFLs ~ 1, 6 oz serving of tuna. Keep in mind though that if you break a CFL you won't be INGESTING all 4-5mg.

Overall I think the risk is overblown unless you are in the habit of trashing CFL's on your floor then huffing the dust. Just use common sense - the greatest risk is being cut by glass.

[komondor]

here is more reliable information but it can probably vary between brands and sizes
Connections Between Mercury and CFLs

Using CFLs reduces the amount of mercury released into the environment

* Mercury is found in many rocks including coal. When coal is burned at a utility power plant to produce electricity, mercury is released into the environment.
* Coal-burning power plants are the largest man-made source of mercury emissions to the air in the United States, accounting for about half of all domestic human-caused mercury emissions (source: 2005 National Emissions Inventory).
* Using energy-efficient CFLs reduces demand for power, which in turn reduces the amount of mercury released into the environment by coal-burning power plants.

CFLs contain very small amounts of mercury

* Mercury is an essential part of CFLs; it allows the bulb to be an efficient light source.
* On average, CFLs contain abut four milligrams of mercury sealed within the glass tubing. By comparison, older thermometers contain about 500 milligrams of mercury – an amount equal to the mercury in over 100 CFLs.
* Manufacturers of fluorescent lighting products are working to reduce the amount of mercury content in CFLs.
* No mercury is released when the bulbs are intact (i.e., not broken) or in use, but CFLs release mercury vapor when broken.

Why use CFLs if they contain mercury?

Small amounts of mercury can be released into the environment when CFLs break, or if they are improperly disposed of at the end of their useful lives. The total amount of mercury that could be released into the environment through breakage and improper disposal, however, is small compared to the amount of mercury that doesn't get released into the environment because Americans are choosing energy-efficient CFLs, reducing demand for electricity. Learn more from the Energy Star program about the benefits of using CFLs.

[novende]

I've had 2 CFLs overheat at the base so much that they burned through the glass tube. I can only assume that mercury vapor was released into the room.

Besides the mercury, the base is full of electronic components. Compare this to the standard incandescent bulb: mostly metal and glass. Traditional bulbs could probably be almost 100% recycled, and if they break don't release toxic chemicals. CFLs may be energy efficient, but some of mine hum, the ceiling (via the attic) mounted bulbs take 30 seconds to warm up in the winter, their lifespan is typically only a year of so in my home (same or worse than incandescent), the light quality sucks, and they are so difficult to recycle most will end up in a landfill somewhere.

CFLs are the greatest con and marketing job of the last decade.

[G37]

Use a dimmer switch with incandescents. They last forever, cheap and when you need light they work. Mood lighting is great.

I use CFL's in utility areas where lights are on longer. All my exterior lighting is CFL.

I'm trying out some 90W equivalent CFL flood lights. $7 per bulb. Instant on, bright enough and only 23W each.

But for bathrooms, hallways, living rooms and kitchen I use a good dimmer with good old fashioned light bulbs.

I could go for a tuna sandwich right about now.

[Rebound]

I don't think the problem is the individual bulb, but the tens of millions of bulbs that will all wind up in landfill, where the mercury will eventually escape, and rainwater will eventually run all this mercury into the water table.

It's obviously not good. Try to send them to a proper recycling center.

In a few years, LED bulbs will make them obsolete

[bonkman]

I've had 2 CFLs overheat at the base so much that they burned through the glass tube. I can only assume that mercury vapor was released into the room.

Besides the mercury, the base is full of electronic components. Compare this to the standard incandescent bulb: mostly metal and glass. Traditional bulbs could probably be almost 100% recycled, and if they break don't release toxic chemicals. CFLs may be energy efficient, but some of mine hum, the ceiling (via the attic) mounted bulbs take 30 seconds to warm up in the winter, their lifespan is typically only a year of so in my home (same or worse than incandescent), the light quality sucks, and they are so difficult to recycle most will end up in a landfill somewhere.

CFLs are the greatest con and marketing job of the last decade.
Change brands. The early CFLs I had were terrible and sound similar to yours. Some lasted shorter than my incandescents, even though they were "name brand." I bought some Home Depot brand ones a little over a year ago -- they have a guarantee of 5 (or 9, I forget) years -- and have been amazing. Very little warmup time, still going strong, and very bright.

If you want to talk about cons, calling an incandescent a "light bulb" is a huge one. Over 90% of the energy goes to heat.