Willful Ignorance

It has come to light that people are shocked -- shocked! -- to discover that compact fluorescent light bulbs, those magnificant, earth-saving gifts from the gods themselves, are a bit problematic when it comes time to dispose of them. It turns out that CFLs, like all fluorescent bulbs, contain mercury, one of the more virulent toxins. (It's not like we didn't know this was coming; I wrote about it more than three years ago.)

Fine print on the packaging, of course, alerts consumers to both the presence of mercury and the fact that you cannot just throw them in the trash. Undoubtedly, CFLs are showing up in dumps, leaching mercury into the soil. Experts are now coming out of the woodwork to point out that these devices, which use less energy than incandescent bulbs, require special disposal infrastructure. Those extra collection points and processes come at a cost; not just the direct cost of the materials and procedures needed to collect, dismantle and dispose of the CFLs separately from all other refuse, but also the environmental damage done by improperly discarded CFLs.

Considering how careful those who are particularly passionate about environmental issues tend to be about toxins like mercury, I confess I'm a bit baffled by the lukewarm response to the hazards posed by improper disposal of CFL. People are willing to balance poisoning the soil or exposing oneself to mercury if a CFL were to break, again saving a few bucks on an electric bill, and come out in favor of the cheaper bill. As a person interviewed for the linked article says, "if it's really toxic, I'd probably stay away from it. But,if it's a really small amount, and if the bulb's really energy-efficient, then I'd say the good outweighs the bad, and I'd buy it."

"Really" toxic? It brings to mind Kevin Pollack's takedown of Demi Moore in "A Few Good Men," ridiculing her for "strenuously" objecting when her first, ordinary objection was overruled. Being a little toxic is like being a little pregnant: either it is or it isn't. When did a little bit less electical consumption become good enough to outweigh the bad of a toxin that can injure or kill you right now in your home by the simple accident of dropping a bulb, or poison acres of soil or groundwater?

I guess every principle has its price.