Switch to Energy-Efficient Lighting

CFL myths & facts Myth: CFLs increase heating bills Fact: Incandescent light bulbs are so inefficient at producing light, that 95% of the electricity they use goes towards producing heat. But it's not efficient to rely on the heat created by incandescent bulbs to heat your home. The energy saved by switching to more efficient lighting will greatly offset any small increase in your heating bill. Draftproof and caulk your doors and windows and your heating bills will drop. Myth: Few people use CFLs Fact: Nearly 80 per cent of homes in BC already use CFLs and are benefiting from the associated savings. This results in 600 gigawatt hours of electricity savings per year, the equivalent energy consumption of more than 50,000 households. Myth: The mercury in CFLs can be harmful to your health. Fact: CFLs contain a very small amount of mercury – only two to four milligrams per bulb. In comparison, there are 500 milligrams of mercury in one amalgam dental filling and 3,000 milligrams in a typical household thermostat. CFLs are not hazardous to operate:  the mercury in the bulbs is not released when the bulbs are being operated. Despite the small amounts of mercury in CFLs, they should still be disposed of in an environmentally friendly way.		On January 1, 2011, lighting efficiency standards were introduced by the B.C. Ministry of Energy on medium screw based A-shape light bulbs in the 75-100W range. These Regulations cover General Service bulbs with a lumen range of 1,050-2,600 lumens. This typically represents the 75-100W range of traditional bulbs. For details, see the BC government's information bulletin on the new efficiency standards. Screw-based 75-100W incandescent bulbs that are currently available don’t meet the new standards and will only be available on store shelves in B.C. until existing stock runs out.  CFLs are leading the market for energy-efficient residential lighting, while LED technology is gradually meeting many of a home's lighting needs. Meanwhile, more efficient incandescent bulbs are being developed and will soon be available. Another shift is occurring in how we think of lighting our rooms, illuminating specific areas (the dining table, the armchair, the desk) instead of providing less intense light across a whole room. About CFLs CFLs 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. CFLs can also be recycled at drop off locations around B.C. 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 electrical bill as soon as you start using them. Their durability makes CFLs a great choice for hard-to-reach fixtures like ceiling pot lights and chandeliers, and because they come in so many varieties, you can find them to fit most of your existing fixtures. Cost savings CFLs use approximately 75% less energy and can last up to 10 times longer than standard incandescents (about 8,000 – 10,000 hours compared to 1,000 hours for incandescents). 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. 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.

What you need to know

Energy-efficient lighting

• For indoor lighting, CFL and LED technology provide your best opportunities to save energy.
• LED technology is still developing to fully meet residential lighting needs, but while it grows you can explore the options.
• Not all LEDs are created equal, some are less energy efficient than CFLs and are of poor quality. To ensure you are getting the most energy efficient option, and a quality product, always look for the ENERGY STAR® label.
• CFLs are more widely available than LEDs and there are varieties to meet most residential lighting needs.

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.
• 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 can 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 find out where to take your spent bulbs.

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.

It is critical to dispose of CFLs properly to ensure that the 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 or see our  CFL recycling page.

Watch for advances in LEDs as they are equally energy efficient and don't contain mercury.

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.

Health Canada released a report in December 2009. The study found that: "CFLs as demonstrated by the test results do not pose a health hazard to the general population from either the ultraviolet radiation or the associated electric and magnetic fields."

Q. What happens when CFLs reach their end of life. Is it safe?

Millions of compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) have been in use in Canada and around the world for years. As with any electrical product sold in Canada, CFLs must meet specific requirements for electrical safety, fire and shock hazard. For example, CFLs are tested to simulate failure of any part of the bulb to determine whether such a failure would cause any safety concern. Any CFL that carries the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) and Underwriters Laboratory (UL) certification marks on the package and on the bulb itself has passed these tests.

CFLs don’t burn out the way incandescent light bulbs do. CFLs are equipped with a mechanism to prevent overheating when it fails. As the CFL bulbs near the ends of their lives, they grow dimmer. Some bulbs merely stop emitting light when they finally quit working; some may give off a small puff of smoke, as well as release an unpleasant odour.

For more information, visit the related Natural Resources Canada page