Mercury in Compact Fluorescent Lamps Links

1. Some of the websites providing factual information on Mercury in Compact Fluorescent Lamps:

   • 1. European legislation on energy-saving lamps
   • 2. Opinions by European Commission Scientific Committees on CFLs and Health
   • 3. Some websites providing recommendations for clean up and disposal of CFLs
   • 4. Links explaining how fluorescent lamps work
   • 5. International documents on mercury

1. European legislation on energy-saving lamps

• European Commission website on energy saving light bulbs, the phase-out of inefficient lamp types and what European legislation is already in place at www.e-lumen.eu  (multilingual)

2. Opinions by European Commission Scientific Committees on CFLs and Health

• Opinion on Mercury in Certain Energy-saving Light Bulbs produced in 2010 by the Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks (SCHER) that served as the source for this publication:
   http://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/environmental_risks/docs/scher_o_124.pdf
  This opinion reviews available scientific data including
  • Öko-Institut and Fraunhofer IZM (2009) Adaptation to scientific and technical progress under Directive 2002/95/EC
     http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/weee/pdf/final_reportl_rohs1_en.pdf
• Opinion on "Light Sensitivity", produced in 2008 by the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR)
   http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/committees/04_scenihr/docs/scenihr_o_019.pdf

3. Some websites providing recommendations for clean up and disposal of CFLs

• Recommendations in case of breakage and for disposal by the European Lamp Companies Federation
   www.elcfed.org/documents/080613_ELC%20FAQ%20domestic%20lighting_external.pdf
• Recommendations for Cleanup and Safe Disposal of Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs by US Environmental Protection Agency www.epa.gov/cfl/ 
• The Australian Government answers a number of questions related to Fluorescent lamps, mercury and end-of-life management - Fact sheet at:
  www.climatechange.gov.au/what-you-need-to-know/lighting/resources/fs.aspx 

4. Links explaining how fluorescent lamps work

• Energy Star website of US EPA & Department of Energy providing information on CFLs and mercury
  www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls_about 
   www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/promotions/change_light/downloads/Fact_Sheet_Mercury.pdf
• The Howstuffworks website explains how fluorescent lamps are made and how they work. More information at:
  http://home.howstuffworks.com/fluorescent-lamp.htm 
• The website of GE lighting answers a series of questions on compact fluorescent light bulbs at:
  www.gelighting.com/na/home_lighting/ask_us/faq_compact.htm 

5. International documents on mercury

• "Global Mercury Assessment", a leading scientific report produced in 2002 by a large international panel of scientists of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
  • Summary : www.greenfacts.org/en/mercury/
  • Full report : www.chem.unep.ch/mercury/Report/GMA-report-TOC.htm 
• Environment Canada discusses mercury extensively on the "Mercury and the Environement" webpage www.ec.gc.ca/mercure-mercury/