Maine Public Utilities Commission and Maine
Department of Environmental Protection

NEWS 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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 14, 2007

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

HOLDEN, Maine - 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 ‘Replace Reduce Recycle’ 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.

“Both 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,” stated PUC Chairman Kurt Adams. “It is our hope that this program will serve as a model for the rest of the country.”

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.

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

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 ‘carbon pollution,’ 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.

“Our 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,” explained DEP Commissioner David Littell. “Again, the environmental benefits of switching to CFLs far outweigh any potential risk of a broken CFL in the home.”

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 .

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