Small amounts of mercury are an essential ingredient in most energy efficient light bulbs; therefore, all CFL light bulbs should be disposed properly in order to recycle mercury and prevent it from leaching into the environment.

You should always use cautionwhen installing and removing compact fluorescent light bulbs from light fixtures, but occasionally, accidents happen. If a CFL light bulb breaks, follow these guidelines set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for proper CFL clean-up and disposal. 

Despite their incredible energy savings, there is still concern over the mercury content of CFLs.  Mercury is a necessary ingredient in the CFL because it is a main component in the process that creates visible light inside the fluorescent tube.