Maine State Sen. Ethan Strimling, a Portland Democrat, recently introduced LD 2207, “An Act To Diminish Global Warming.” The legislation would ban the sale of traditional incandescent light bulbs by 2010, in favor of more energy-efficient versions, such as the popular compact fluorescent lights (CFLs).

Though they are more expensive than traditional bulbs to purchase – about $3 apiece, as opposed to 50¢ for incandescent bulbs – CFLs commonly last five years or more and can save consumers an average of $35-$60 in energy costs over the life of a single light. Because CFLs use up to 75 percent less energy, they also lower our dependence on foreign oil and help to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Strimling’s bill is hardly novel – bulb bans have been all the rage over the last couple of years. A handful of South American countries have been phasing out incandescent lights since 2005, while Australia became the first country, last year, to announce an outright ban by 2010. Ireland and the European Union soon followed. Here in the U.S., California was the first state to pass a bulb ban, prompting similar proposals in Connecticut, New Jersey and Rhode Island, before Congress passed, and President Bush signed, the Energy Conservation Act of 2007, which includes a phase-out of most incandescent bulbs by 2020.

But, if Congress has already passed a bulb ban, why should Maine bother putting its own ban on the books? Isn’t that kind of redundant? Strimling doesn’t think so. He says the federal bill’s timetable is too slow.

“I firmly believe that the climate crisis demands immediate action … Congress shouldn't be taking the climate crisis lightly, and should be doing more to defend our planet than condoning twelve years of incrementalism. We can do better and we should do better,” said Strimling.

“What kind of difference can one bulb make? Consider this: If every person in America swapped just one bulb for an Energy Star labeled compact fluorescent, it would collectively save more than $8 billion in energy costs, prevent burning 30 billion pounds of coal and remove two million cars' worth of greenhouse gas emissions from our atmosphere. Now, just imagine the difference we could make if we replaced all of the lights we use with more efficient bulbs.”

Helping the environment sounds like a good idea, but Strimling’s bill has its detractors. Some complain that CFLs put out a bluish, unnatural-looking light compared to traditional bulbs, while others say they aren’t appropriate for every household fixture. These issues are primarily a thing of the past, though. The more popular CFLs have become, the more versatile they’ve gotten, with models that provide warmer light tones, fit into narrower sockets, work on dimmer switches and feature a more decorative body style than the iconic spiral shape.

The biggest concerns, however, surround the dangers of mercury poisoning. Each CFL contains about four milligrams of mercury; that’s about the size of a pinhead, or 100 times less than is contained in an old-fashioned thermometer. Alone, that’s not enough mercury to do much damage, but when you consider the prospect of thousands, or even millions, of CFLs ending up in landfills, getting broken and releasing mercury into the air, the issue becomes more serious.

For that reason, there are rules in place requiring CFLs to be taken to a licensed facility for special handling and disposal. Unfortunately, the learning curve has been steep. Many of the earliest people to begin using CFLs were unaware of the mercury issue, and have been improperly disposing of them for years. In fact, several years ago, when I bought my first set of CFLs, I broke one. Thinking nothing of it, I swept it up and threw it in the trash.

Strimling’s bill would include a 25¢ deposit on all fluorescent bulbs, to help ensure their proper disposal, though it’s questionable whether that will really solve the problem. Maine is one of a few states that still uses bottle deposits to encourage recycling, though the sight of empty bottles in the trash is not that uncommon here. The real answer will come when other lighting options, such as mercury-free fluorescents or large-scale LED lights, become commercially available. Those developments are said to be about five years away.

On the other end of the spectrum are those who have been duped into being too careful. Maine made national news last year, when a woman from Prospect broke a CFL and received a $2,000 cleanup estimate from a local HAZMAT company. Unable to afford the exorbitant bill, she left her daughter’s room sealed off for more than a month. The woman had called the cleanup company on the advice of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, which has since studied the issue and determined the recommendation was “overkill.” No kidding!

Whether or not Strimling’s bulb ban passes, CFLs are increasing in popularity and, for now, are one of the best tools the average person has for protecting the environment and saving money. But it is important that we all educate ourselves about the dangers of mercury and the proper handling and disposal of CFLs.

Here’s what you need to know:

Mercury is a dangerous neurotoxin that damages the central nervous system, kidneys and other organs. Symptoms of mercury poisoning including impairment to vision, hearing, speech, lack of coordination, persistent itching, burning or pain, skin discoloration, swelling, profuse sweating and irregular heartbeat.

The small amount of mercury in a single CFL is unlikely to result in serious problems. However, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends the following clean-up and disposal guidelines in the event of a broken CFL:

Before cleaning up the broken pieces, open a window and leave the room for at least 15 minutes.

Shut off any central forced-air heating/air conditioning systems. Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces. Using stiff paper or cardboard, carefully scoop up the glass fragments and powder and place them, along with the paper or cardboard, in a glass jar with metal lid or in a sealed plastic bag. Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder. Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes and place them in the glass jar or plastic bag, along with the tape.

On carpeting, if vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken, then remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic bag. For at least the next few times you vacuum, shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system and open a window prior to vacuuming. Keep the air or heat off, with the window open, for at least 15 minutes after vacuuming is completed.

Wash your hands after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing clean-up materials. Check with your local government about disposal sites in your area. Some states – Maine included – require that broken and unbroken lamps be taken to a local recycling center.