Ditch mercury-filled eco-bulbs with mercury-free, made in USA Sylvania Super Savers

By Mary Rose Roberts
Did you know that compact fluorescent light bulbs contain mercury and, if broken or tossed into landfills can be harmful to you, your family and the environment? 

Right now, the U.S. has begun to switch off its production and import of traditional incandescent light bulbs forcing consumers to move to more efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs. Many consumers are annoyed that most of these light bulbs are made in China. Others are concerned about the mercury pollution and the lack of education about their dangers if dropped or if discarded into landfills. But there is a solution: Sylvania’s Super Saver energy-efficient halogen light bulbs made in Wellsboro, Penn.

Unlike compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL), halogens do not contain mercury. Yet they still meet the energy-saving criteria of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 enacted by then-President George W.  Bush.  One of the provisions of the act was to require that light bulbs sold in the U.S. use 25% to 30% less energy by 2014. When the act was passed, the only bulbs that met that requirement were CFLs. However, CFLs need mercury to produce light.  The mercury in a CFL is encased in the glass tube and does not pose a hazard when it is recycled or does not break in the house.  But if it does break or crack in landfills, the mercury will seep into the earth and later into steams and rivers—and into fishes’ bloodstreams.

It also is important to remember that mercury has been shown to cause birth defects, brain impairments and even death. If a pallet of these are dropped in a warehouse, it is considered a hazmat situation and the local fire department is called in for clean up.

Sylvania Super Savers are a common-sense replacement for incandescent lamps being phased out by the Energy Independence and Security Act and a much better choice compared to CFLs. The bulbs operate on a halogen capsule and provide an energy savings of up to 33% when compared to incandescent lamps. Unlike CFLs, the bulbs offer an instant-on (meaning no warming up before they provide light), are fully dimmable and also mercury-free.

If you do decide to stick with China-produced, mercury-filled, light bulbs, remember to recycle them and do not thrown them away in the trash.