I Get Some Emails!

Someone sent me this, since I care about CFL's.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Maine Public Utilities Commission
242 State Street Augusta, Maine 04333-0018
Website: http://www.maine.gov/mpuc/
CONTACT: Nicole Clegg, 207-287-8519, 207-310-0123 (cell)
Nicole.Clegg@maine.gov


Efficiency Maine and Maine DEP Launch First in the Nation Statewide CFL
Recycling Program


HOLDEN, Maine (June 14, 2006) - The Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC),
which administers the Efficiency Maine program, today launched a statewide
recycling program for compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) in partnership with
Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) ­ the first of its kind
in the country. The launch of the ŒReplace Reduce Recycle¹ program is
designed to make it as easy as possible for Maine consumers to bring
burned-out CFLs to a local participating retail store for recycling. More
than 100 stores, from Fort Kent to Wells, are already participating in the
recycling program and new stores are signing up every day.

³Both the PUC and the DEP are committed to ensuring that all fluorescent
lights are properly recycled, which is why we have jointly created this
program, the first of its kind in the US,² stated PUC Chairman Kurt Adams.
³It is our hope that this program will serve as a model for the rest of the
country.²

CFLs give off high-quality light using a fraction of the electricity used by
traditional bulbs. CFLs are four times more efficient, use 50 to 80 percent
less energy and last up to 10 times longer than traditional bulbs. CFLs
require recycling because they contain trace amounts of mercury, an amount
as small as a drop of ink on the head of a pen.

³Using CFLs in your home is far more environmentally beneficial than using a
traditional light bulb,² continued Adams. ³The benefits of reducing
electricity generation from power plants far outweigh any risk associated
with the small amount of mercury inside a CFL.²

Replacing a single traditional bulb with a CFL can keep a half-ton of carbon
dioxide (CO2) out of the atmosphere. If every household in the US used
energy-efficient lighting, 90 average-size power plants could be retired.
Saving electricity reduces greenhouse gases including CO2 emissions, sulfur
oxide, high-level nuclear waste, and the release of pollutants such as
mercury into the air.

In 2004, Maine residential energy consumption resulted in the release of
over 3,761,300,000 pounds of greenhouse gases and other pollutants. The
amount of greenhouse gases resulting from Maine's energy consumption has
grown more than 10 percent in the past ten years. Switching to CFLs reduces
the release of these greenhouse gases and Œcarbon pollution,¹ which
contributes to global warming.

The launch of the recycling program has also prompted a careful review of
the guidelines for handling a broken CFL.

³Our initial review confirms that cleaning up a broken CFL is easy, does not
present any immediate health risks and should not be cause for alarm,²
explained DEP Commissioner David Littell. ³Again, the environmental benefits
of switching to CFLs far outweigh any potential risk of a broken CFL in the
home.²

The U.S. Department of Environmental Protection and the Maine DEP are
expected to conclude their analysis and clarify the guidelines for handling
a broken CFL in the coming weeks. The Maine PUC and the DEP will update
their websites for Maine consumers and the information will be available at
participating retailers. A complete listing of participating stores can be
found online at: www.efficiencymaine.com .

###

Efficiency Maine is a statewide effort to promote the more efficient use of
electricity, help Maine residents and businesses reduce electricity costs
and improve Maine¹s environment. For more information on the contest or
energy efficiency, visit the PUC¹s Efficiency Maine website at
www.efficiencymaine.com or call
1-866-ESMAINE.