Lighting

Energy-efficient lighting will help you save on your power bill and help our environment. Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) and fluorescent tubes are the most energy- and cost-effective lighting alternative for your home. CFLs use only 20 per cent of the electricity to produce the same amount of light and are an easy, cleaner alternative to the traditional incandescent globe.

• Incandescent light globe phase out
• What are CFLs?
• Selecting the right CFL for your home
• Do CFLs contain mercury?
• What do I do if a CFL breaks?
• Disposal of CFLs

Incandescent light globe phase out

On 20 February 2007, the Australian Government announced its intention to phase out inefficient incandescent light globes. The phase-out will mean that from the end of 2009, you will be unable to buy new incandescent bulbs to replace your old ones.

Back to top

What are CFLs?

CFLs are fluorescent tubes shaped to fit an ordinary light fitting. They save energy by reducing the wattage needed in a light fitting while producing the same amount of light.

CFLs last from 6000 to 15 000 hours, 6 to 15 times longer than incandescent light bulbs and use about one fifth of the energy.

Back to top

Selecting the right CFLs for your home

Like common incandescent light bulbs, CFLs are available in a screw or bayonet fitting and you fit a CFL in exactly the same way that you fit a common incandescent light bulb.

CFLs come in a wide range of shapes, sizes and wattages and can be used in downlights, spotlights, exterior lights and lamps. You can choose the level of brightness suitable for your rooms and light fittings. To work out which wattage you need to replace an incandescent light bulb, see 'Selecting the right CFL' fact sheet.

Specialised CFLs are becoming available for dimmers. Ask your specialist lighting retailer about dimmable CFLs.

Back to top

Do CFLs contain mercury?

CFLs do contain a very small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing—5 mg on average (roughly equivalent to the tip of a ball-point pen).

Under a new Australian standard to be introduced in 2009, CFLs will be required to contain less than 5 mg of mercury. By comparison, mercury thermometers contain 300 to 500 mg of mercury.

When the bulbs are in use, no mercury is released and they are safe to use in the home.

Back to top

What do I do if a CFL breaks?

If a CFL breaks, research indicates that there is no immediate health risk to you or your family, but careful handling and disposal is recommended.

You can minimise any risks by following these proper clean-up and disposal guidelines:

• Open nearby windows and doors to ventilate the room and leave area for 15 minutes before retuning to cleanup.
• Sweep up—don’t vacuum—of the glass fragments and fine particles. If any gets into carpeted areas, use a damp cloth or sticky tape, to pick up fine particles and fragments.
• Place all of the pieces of the light bulb and clean-up materials into a container or sealed plastic bag, for disposal in accordance with the advice of your local waste disposal authority.
• Continue ventilating the room.
• Wash your hands and face.

Back to top

Disposal of CFLs

CFLs can be disposed of in regular garbage bins, where the garbage goes to landfill. CFLs should NOT be placed in your curbside recycling collection.

Check with your local garbage collection management authority for their advice on CFL disposal, as different local authorities may have different arrangements. For example, some local governments have household chemical waste collection depots, which may accept CFLs.

When placing CFLs in the garbage, it is best to wrap them in a way that will prevent them from breaking.

Back to top