Canadians will soon have guidance from the federal government on how to听dispose of mercury-containing light bulbs in an environmentally responsible way. Bill C-238, a new act that sets out rules for a national light bulb disposal strategy,听received royal assent on Thursday.
The National Strategy for Safe and Environmentally Sound Disposal of Lamps Containing Mercury Act commits the government to identify听ways to dispose听of mercury-containing听light bulbs safely and establish听guidelines for facilities that dispose of them, and then promote听the program to Canadians.
The bill also requires the environment minister to table the national strategy in Parliament within two years of the act receiving royal assent.
No Regulations
Dartmouth-Cole Harbour MP听Darren听Fisher, who introduced the private member’s bill, said there were no federal regulations outlining how to dispose of听light bulbs.
“You can take your mercury-bearing light bulb, and you can throw it in your garbage bag and put it to the curb,” he said.
One regular, 13-watt residential compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL)听鈥� the curly looking ones that are slowly replacing the traditional, round incandescent bulbs听鈥斕齝ontains on average听3.5 milligrams听of mercury.听Energy Star-certified CFLs contain 2.5 milligrams or less. Fluorescent tubes contain up to 12 milligrams.
Fisher said about 1,150 kilograms听of mercury听end听up in Canadian landfills each year, and can contaminate the environment. Mercury is also listed as a toxic substance under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.
“So this is an听incredibly听big issue,” he said.
Compact Fluorescents on the Rise
A 2014 federal ban on most residential incandescent bulbs means more Canadians are using compact fluorescent bulbs. A 2014听report from Statistics Canada noted that in 2011,听three-quarters of households across the country used at least one CFL bulb.
About half the households that used听CFLs reported throwing them in the garbage, and Haligonians were the most likely to toss them, with 84 per cent doing so, the report said.
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