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Dangers Regarding Mercury Lamps

Mercury is a necessary element in compact fluorescent, high-intensity discharge and mercury vapor lamps. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), instead of disposing these light bulbs into the trash, it is imperative to recycle these light bulbs so that the mercury is properly contained and reused. If you are looking for an alternative bulb type, LED (light-emitting diode) bulbs do not contain mercury, last the longest and are the most energy efficient.

  1. Birth Defects

    • In 2008, the production and import of mercury vapor lamps were banned in the United States. This chemical will linger and affect living organisms if the old lamps are not recycled. As mercury is leached into the environment, it causes neurological damage, especially in babies and children, according to the EPA. For example, if a pregnant woman eats fish with mercury in its system, that mercury can get passed to the fetus and jeopardize its health, yet not have any effects on the mother's body.

    Decreased Coordination

    • According to the EPA, another side effect of mercury poisoning is the development of poor coordination and vision. Mercury hinders peripheral vision, which affects visual spatial skills and fine movement skills. Along with this, there are reported symptoms of tingling "pins and needles" sensations around the hands, feet and mouth.

    Decreased Learning Ability

    • Mercury is permanently stored and accumulated in the body, which creates potentially increasing long-term issues hindering the ability of the brain and body to function adequately. With increased mercury in the body, you are potentially decreasing the ability of your mind to function normally, which results in reduced skills for cognitive thinking, memory, attention and language.

    Additional Symptoms from Mercury Vapor Inhalation

    • If a mercury vapor lamp breaks in a room with low ventilation, direct inhalation of elemental mercury (mercury vapors) can cause additional symptoms including tremors, emotional changes (mood swings, nervousness, irritability, extreme shyness), insomnia, neuromuscular damage and headaches.

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