PECO Energy invests in flourescent lights
Thursday, August 13th, 2009
By: denisdevine
ddevine@whyy.org
PECO Energy is betting big on compact fluorescent light bulbs. A law signed by Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell in October requires the utility to cut its energy use by 1% by 2011, and 3% by 2013. So the utility is about to spend 20 million dollars to distribute CFL bulbs for free or at heavily discounted prices. But all those new bulbs also come with small amounts of mercury.
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While PECO's 6 million new compact fluorescent light bulbs could save a lot of energy, they will also slightly raise customers' risk of mercury poisoning, as the new bulbs contain trace amounts of the toxic substance.
But PennFuture's Tom Tuffey says the small increase in risk is worth it.
Tuffey: For somebody that you know accidentally breaks a bulb in their home, the exposure here is not immense. I think it's quite a manageable problem, and if we weigh the benefits of CFLs, both in terms of environment and cost to people, against the mercury risk, I think we're way in the far of the benefit.
Several big-box retailers accept the compact fluorescent bulbs for proper disposal.
And an expert in the Philadelphia office of the EPA says that the mercury in CFLs is tiny compared to the mercury in the air from coal-fired power plants.
Improper disposal of compact fluorescent light bulbs is very dangerous to your family and to the environment. In some states, it is illegal to put these light bulbs in your trash.
It's easy to dispose of compact fluorescent light bulbs properly. Just send them to your Senator or Congressman in Washington. Or send them to the EPA.
You can find your Senator's mailing address here: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
You can find your Congressman's mailing address here: http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml
Or send your used light bulbs to EPA headquarters in Washington:
Environmental Protection Agency
Ariel Rios Building
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20460
Isn't your family's health worth the small postage cost? Don't you want to help save the planet from this environmental nightmare? You'll sleep better at night knowing your deadly mercury-containing light bulbs are with the experts in our nation's capital. Send your light bulbs to Washington!
For more information, check out our web site at http://www.SendYourLightBulbsToWashington.com
One alternative to CFLs are LEDs.