Are CFLs a Good Investment?
Posted By Lin on March 28, 2009
In general, the answer is yes. Most CFLs are a significant improvement over current incandescent and fluorescent bulbs, both in duration and environmental impact. As with any new technology, there are some issues, but most of these will be overcome with time. Consumer Reports recommends several bulbs for their lower mercury content and extended life.
As with any product for which someone can gain advantage by disparaging the product, there is no shortage of detractors. One of the most common topics brought up has to do with the mercury in the bulbs. Mercury is a serious contaminant, but there are many aspects of mercury that most people don’t know about, such as the fact that there are several types of mercury, that some are less harmful than others, and that CFL bulbs are less risky than eating high-mercury fish such as white tuna and Chilean Sea Bass. In fact, new CFL bulbs now often contain less than 5 ppm of mercury, most of which dissipates quickly into the air if the bulb is broken.
Does this mean that CFL bulbs are the best solution? Not any more. New LED bulbs, particularly those that replace fluorescent ‘tube’ lights and specialty incandescent bulbs such as can lights, typically last 30,000-50,000 hours, are priced reasonably, have equal or greater lumens, and fit into existing sockets. Businesses in particular can benefit from these super long lasting bulbs, reducing labor costs for bulb replacement to one fifteenth or less of current costs.
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