There's much ado lately concerning the toxicity of CFLs. While there certainly is warranted concern, I'ld like to point out that mercury-containing fluorescent and HID lamps have been around since the 1930's.

The amazing compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) aren't the only lamps to contain mercury. All the old tubular-shaped fluorescent lamps contain mercury too. So do the mercury vapor HID lamps--HID (high intensity discharge), which like the fluorescents, have been around for about eight decades. As they contain mercury, all are somewhat dangerous if broken.

The spiral-shaped glass is thin and delicate on these CFLs--be careful not to break them! If one brakes, windows should be opened for ventilation, and the debris should be carefully cleaned up and put into a vessel such as a lidded glass jar, and disposed of. Don't vacuum-clean, as further spreading of the evaporating mercury will result.

LEDs--light-emitting diodes With the advent the latest lighting technology, these solid-state LED lamps are likely to replace all or most type lamps in the near future. They use even less electric power than do the fluorescent lamps, and last much longer, 50k to 100k use-hours, with no toxins. Although slowly, the higher price of LEDs is falling.

Richard S. Otto, 27 June 2008