Reduce Toxic Mercury - The most important reason to convert to LED

The leading lighting manufacturers manufacture florescent lamps as well as LED lighting, therefore this important information is seldom disclosed in order not to cannibalize their current product offering.

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.

These discarded bulbs can release approximately 2 to 4 tons of mercury per year into the environment. Once in the environment, mercury can be converted to an organic form that accumulates in living organisms and contaminates the food chain.

The EPA encourages the recycling of all mercury-containing lamps. If these lights are broken the EPA recommends opening all windows in the building and exiting the premises for a minimum of 15 minutes due to the toxic mercury in the air. This affects you, your family, your friends, your staff, and your customers.

Cited from: http://www.epa.gov/osw/hazard/wastetypes/universal/lamps/faqs.htm#7