A team of scientists has found that certain countries, and some U.S. states, stand to benefit from the use of compact fluorescent lighting more than others. Some locales may even produce more mercury emissions by switching to compact fluorescent lighting.
The study looked at all 50 states and 130 countries to determine the impact of fluorescent lighting on total mercury emissions in those regions.
Much of South America, Africa, the Middle East and parts of Europe, along with Alaska, California, Oregon, Idaho and several New England states, would actually increase their mercury emissions by making the switch from incandescent to fluorescent lighting.
The results depend on a complex relationship between a number of factors, including how dependent a region is on coal-powered energy generation, the chemical makeup of the coal used in those plants, and existing recycling programs for CFLs.