CFLs contain mercury that is potentially harmful to the environment, animals and you! The average amount of mercury contained in a CFL is approx. 4-5 milligrams. While this may not seem like a lot, if you take the estimated 300+ million CFLs sold last year in the U.S. that equates to about .15 metric tons of mercury. To put that in perspective it only takes one teaspoon of mercury to contaminate a 100-acre body of water. Just imagine the damage just a fraction of a ton could do!

Human exposure to mercury occurs primarily through consumption of saltwater and freshwater fish that come from these contaminated areas. In the U.S. approximately 7 million women and children are routinely eating mercury-contaminated fish at levels higher than the EPA would consider safe.

The majority of this can be prevented by having proper recycling methods in place for used mercury containing CFLs and fluorescent lamps. Many consumers still throw these away in the trash without a thought, but as consumer awareness begins to increase about mercury in CFLs so has their demand for recycling options. The ComPak CFL Recycling Center by NLR is the first generation solution to this mounting problem.

The ComPak Center can be deployed in virtually any location in your community to make recycling easy and convenient. Centers located in libraries to supermarkets and town halls, would offer a community a great way to take green action to help protect themselves and the environment. The Green Action Project makes this even easier.

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