Responsible Use

Using ILLUME Energy Efficient Bulbs are an excellent way to reduce your electricity consumption as well as your carbon footprint in addition to saving you hundreds or possibly thousands of Dirhams in electricity costs.  Nevertheless, as with any product, it is important to know how to safely and responsibly put them to good use.

The Essential Element

All energy efficient light bulbs contain a very small amount of mercury (although most brands do not reveal it to their customers) sealed within the glass tubing - about 4 milligrams on average which is roughly equivalent to the tip of a ball-point pen.  Mercury (Hg) is an element on the periodic table found naturally in the environment.  Mercury emissions in the air can come from both natural and man-made sources. Power plants (mainly coal-fired) are the primary man-made source, as mercury that naturally exists in coal is released into the air when the coal is burned to make electricity.  Mercury is an essential, irreplaceable component of energy efficient light bulbs as it is what allows the bulbs to be an efficient source of light.

Ecobility has worked closely with the engineers in our manufacturing facilities in an effort to reduce the amount of mercury used in our light bulbs through research and technological advancements.  As a result of this commitment, a 13 Watt ILLUME Energy Efficient Bulb (60 Watt Incandescent equivalent) now contains less than 2 milligrams of Mercury (over 50% less than the average), making it one of the most socially and environmentally responsible energy efficient light bulbs available on the market. To demonstrate just how little mercury there is in our light bulbs; typical home thermometers contain 500 milligrams of mercury; therefore it would take more than 250 ILLUME Energy Efficient Bulbs to equal the amount of mercury in just 1 thermostat.

The Irony

Although energy efficient bulbs contain minute amounts of mercury, they present an ironic opportunity to actually prevent mercury emissions from entering the environment, where they most affect our health.

An ILLUME Energy Efficient Bulb uses 78% less energy than an incandescent light bulb and lasts about 10 times longer. A coal-fired power plant will emit 7.2mg of mercury to produce the electricity to power an incandescent bulb compared to only 1.6mg of mercury to power an ILLUME Energy Efficient Bulb for the same amount of time.  Of course, not all electricity is coal generated, but also, the mercury from used energy efficient bulbs is not released into air unless the bulbs are broken in transport.  By the end of its life, only about 11% of the Mercury from an ILLUME Energy Efficient Bulb, amounting to 0.22mg, can be released into the atmosphere when it is sent to a landfill (assuming it ends up broken).  This is because most of the mercury would have become bound to the inside of the light bulb over its use and can no longer be released. 

As a simple comparison, the annual mercury emissions of a single cement plant amount to approximately 400 pounds - that roughly corresponds to the mercury content in 90 million ILLUME Energy Efficient Bulbs. 

How to dispose of a used energy efficient bulb?

As with all hazardous household waste such as paint and batteries, products containing mercury e.g. thermometers and energy efficient bulbs should be handled and disposed of sensibly.  It is best not to throw energy efficient bulbs away in your household garbage if more appropriate disposal options exist.  If local waste management facilities do not yet offer other disposal options apart from your household garbage, place the energy efficient bulb in a plastic bag and seal it before putting it in the trash. Never send an energy efficient bulb or other mercury containing product to an incinerator.   

No mercury can escape when the bulbs are intact (not broken) or in use. Mercury is only released into our environment when products with mercury are broken, disposed of improperly, or incinerated. If you break an energy efficient bulb, clean it up safely.

What should I do if an energy efficient bulb breaks?

Because there is such a small amount of mercury in energy efficient bulbs, your greatest risk if a bulb breaks is getting cut from glass shards. Research indicates that there is no immediate health risk to you or your family should a bulb break and it's cleaned up properly. You can minimize any risks by following these proper clean-up and disposal guidelines:

• Carefully scoop/pick up all of the glass fragments and fine particles - do not use a vacuum.
• Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass pieces and powder.
• Place broken pieces in a sealed plastic bag and wipe the area with a damp paper towel to pick up any stray shards of glass or fine particles. Put the used towel in the plastic bag as well.

If weather permits, open windows to allow the room to ventilate