Compact fluorescents contain an average 5 milligrams of mercury - a speck that would barely cover the tip of a ballpoint pen. A mercury fever thermometer, by comparison, holds 100 times that much.
But breaking a single bulb can be a health concern if the mercury is inhaled. A study by Maine's Bureau of Remediation and Waste Management found that, after breaking a single CFL bulb, mercury concentrations in a room often exceeded state clean air guidelines, and briefly soared to more than 166 times the limit of 300 nanogram per cubic meter. Vacuuming only stirs up what remains, and the vacuum itself can be permanently contaminated.
The warnings have prompted worry among some consumers, such as John H. Clemson of Ruxton. "I just think the [small] percentage of people that are going to be that careful makes it a product that shouldn't be sold," he said.
Clemson fears people pointed to CFLs as a solution without considering the ramifications. "Everybody's really lazy about doing research," he said. "Who is going to start another recycling bin for light bulbs?"
`Race to the bottom'
CFL manufacturers are in a "race to the bottom" to reduce the mercury content even more, Kohorst said.
Wal-Mart's Raddohl said her company's suppliers have reduced the mercury in their CFLs to as little as 2.5 milligrams - half the industry standard.
But it adds up. The recycling industry estimates that more than 300 million compact fluorescents were sold in the United States last year - more than 100 million by Wal-Mart alone. As few as 2 percent are being recycled.
That compares with about 25 percent of the 700 million mercury vapor lamps sold to business and industry.
The rest end up in the trash.
Recycling programs for household CFLs can be hard to find.
"I don't think they are adequate at all," said Environment Maryland's Heavner. "There are options, depending on where you live. But it should be easier everywhere."
New York, California, Florida and Minnesota, plus five New England states and a growing number of local governments now require that all CFLs be recycled.
Md. sites are few
In Maryland, the MDE Web site lists CFL recycling programs for only 10 of Maryland's 24 local jurisdictions. Identifying locations and schedules, and getting there, can be a chore.
The MDE lists just one recycling drop-off site for Baltimore County. That's the Eastern Sanitary Landfill, a 25-mile drive from Catonsville and 33 miles from Parkton. Or, residents can wait for a Household Hazardous Waste collection event.
