Replace Incandescents with CFLs

Quick Facts

Affordability

Cost Savings

CO₂ Reduction

Health & comfort

Voltage fluctuations cycle much faster in CFLs than in old tube fluorescents, so there is no perceptible flicker. They are available in a range of colour temperatures from soft white warm tones, similar to an incandescent, to cooler blue tones for reading. Finding the right colour temperature for the task will make the light both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

Environmental considerations

The energy savings from replacing incandescent bulbs with CFLs helps decrease the need for new energy generation facilities and the associated environmental impacts. In addition, because CFLs last so much longer than standard incandescents, there is less material and manufacturing required.

No-cost, low-cost tips add up

Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) use about one-quarter (or 75% less) of the energy that incandescent bulbs use to deliver the same amount of light.

They come in many shapes and sizes [PDF, 502 Kb] as well as different light output levels and colour temperatures, to suit almost any fixture and function.

If the average B.C. home replaced all their incandescents with CFLs it would save approximately 830 kilowatt hours a year. That’s about as much energy as you would use watching over 4,100 episodes of your favourite TV program or doing 1,250 loads of laundry on a front loading washer.

Affordability

CFLs cost more up front ($3 to $10 on average), but they quickly pay for themselves in two ways. Because they use much less energy, you'll save on your power bill as soon as you start using them. And because CFLs last 10 times longer, you'll only buy one bulb for every 10 incandescents you'd need. That saves money and time as well.

Their durability makes CFLs a great choice for hard-to-reach fixtures like ceiling pot lights and chandeliers.

Cost savings

CFLs use up to 75% less energy and last 10 times longer than standard incandescents (about 10,000 hours compared to 1,000 for incandescents), so you save money by using less energy and buying fewer bulbs.

As one CFL lasts as long as 10 incandescent bulbs, you could save over $37 – including costs of the bulb(s) and electricity – over the nine-year lifetime of one CFL bulb. Replace five 60-watt incandescent bulbs with 14-watt CFLs, at an average of three hours per day, and you'll save more than $20 per year.

What you need to know

Types of CFLs

• There are dimmable CFLs available that will work with dimmer switches and other automatic lighting controls. Do not use standard CFLs with dimmers or you could shorten the bulb’s life and risk breakage. The package will tell you if it is a dimmable CFL.
• For recessed fixtures, check to ensure the bulb you select won’t jut out too far.
• For outdoor use, ensure you select the correct CFL by reading the package carefully. Some CFLs can stand alone outdoors, without needing to be enclosed, others are made to be enclosed in a fixture. Some outdoor bulbs are made to work base up or base down specifically, read the packages carefully so you will select the right ones for the applications.
• Use our downloadable buying guide [PDF, 319 Kb] to help you select the right bulb. And always look for the ENERGY STAR® label, which identifies products that have been tested to meet operating, reliability and energy efficiency criteria.

Mercury and Disposal

• Most CFLs contain less than 4mg of mercury – about one-fifth of what’s in an average watch battery and less than one-hundredth that found in a typical amalgam dental filling. There are new bulbs on market with lower mercury levels, currently as low as 1.4 to 2.5 mg per bulb.
• CFLs should not be put in the garbage for disposal as the broken bulbs will release mercury into the environment.
• If you break a bulb:
  • Open a window and vacate the area for 15 minutes.
  • Use a wet rag to clean it up and put all of the pieces, and the rag, into a sealed plastic bag or jar with a lid. Place all materials in a second sealed plastic bag.
  • If it breaks on carpet, use sticky tape to pick up all the small pieces of glass. Put them into the sealed bags.
  • Wash your hands.
  • Contact your local recycling center to see if they accept this material.

Find a CFL recycler near you.

FAQ

If there is mercury in CFLs, is it more environmentally responsible to use incandescent bulbs?
Although most of our energy in British Columbia comes from hydropower, we do import energy from other sources, including coal. When we reduce our energy use in B.C., we reduce the amount of additional “dirty energy” required. Therefore, using CFLs can reduce our contribution to greenhouse gases, energy consumption and mercury production.

However, it is critical to dispose of CFLs properly to ensure that even this tiny amount of mercury does not build up in the environment. Find out where to dispose of CFLs in your area. And take care with other products you use that contain mercury and heavy metals – for example, take your used watch batteries to the appropriate disposal centre. Contact the Recycling Council of BC for more information 1 800 667 4321.

A list of B.C. retailers who accept CFLs for recycling

Is the mercury contained in a CFL bad for my health?
The mercury that CFLs contain will not cause health or environmental issues while inside the tubes. It can only become a problem when you discard or break the bulbs and the mercury vapour becomes airborne. For more information on mercury and your health visit Environment Canada’s Mercury Basic Facts webpage. Mercury in the environment is known to have adverse effects on fish, humans and other animals. To keep mercury from becoming a hazard, dispose of CFLs properly.