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The Government says the switch to low-energy bulbs, which use just a quarter of the energy of a conventional bulb, will reduce emissions of carbon dioxide by around
five million tonnes a year – the equivalent to the emissions from a typical one-gigawatt coal-fired power station. A single bulb can save a household around £7 a year.
But critics complain that compact fluorescent low-energy bulbs contain mercury, making them dangerous to dispose of, and give off a harsh light.
There have also been complaints that the flicker of compact fluorescent bulbs can trigger migraines and epileptic fits.
Well, that's a small enough price to pay - but speaking of prices, who stands to gain from all of this silliness? Certainly, it isn't you.
Carbon dioxide isn't toxic; mercury is. So to "save energy and reduce CO2 emissions", government requires you to install toxic substances into every room in your home. Oh, right: "We're from the government. We're here to help."
While no mercury is released when the bulbs are in use, taking precautions when throwing them out is important. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that three per cent of the total mercury in discarded fluorescent lamps is released to the atmosphere when they break during transportation to a disposal facility. Other researchers estimate emissions are as high as 17 per cent.
If a fluorescent bulb ends up in a landfill, the mercury can leech into the surrounding soil or be released into the atmosphere. If it is incinerated, the amount of mercury released into the atmosphere may be higher, according to Health Canada.
While fluorescent bulbs contain about five milligrams of mercury — less than in a watch battery, according to Natural Resources Canada — Health Canada recommends that items containing mercury be treated as hazardous waste.
And what if a "bulb" breaks in the home? Right.
