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Let there be light ! But with mercury...
Incandescent light bulbs are gradually being replaced by more energy efficient lamps known for their long service life. However, these lamps are no panacea since they contain mercury, a toxic element for human health and a hazard for the environment.
Volatile in its elementary metal form, mercury attaches itself onto atmospheric particles and contaminates land and water environments. Incorporated in organic or inorganic chemical species, it can make its way through the food chain. It is a "global" pollutant, i.e. it is present in all environments and in various forms. Inhaled, elementary metal mercury is hardly toxic at low concentrations, but regularly ingested, methylmercury can seriously harm the development of human beings.
One must therefore prevent the dispersion of mercury. Mercury thermometers banned from sale for several years should be brought to dangerous waste disposal centres. Same directive for "button" batteries.
The quantity of mercury present in an energy saving lamp is low, of the order of a few milligrams. However, breakage of such lamps causes the dispersion of metal mercury in the atmosphere. Like neon tubes, these lamps belong to the class of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) since their components can be almost entirely recycled. As such, they are not to follow the household waste stream, the first stage of which is mechanical crushing that immediately breaks the lamps and releases the mercury into the atmosphere. In France, the organisation Recylum arranges the collection and recycling of used lamps.
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