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When you next replace a light bulb, consider the use of an energy efficient bulb where possible. It will only use approx 25% of the energy an ordinary bulb would use and it will last up to 8 times longer. Saving you money and the hassle of replacing it. Especially those hard to reach ones.

Light bulb terminology

Bayonet - This is a standard type of bulb fitting and can be identified by two prongs that protrude outwards from the bulbs fixture point

Screw fit - This is gaining popularity as much of Europe and the USA use this type of fixture. It can be identified by a thread at the bulbs fixture point

Candle - This is a bulb shaped to resemble a candles light. There are several variations on the shape and they come in both screw and bayonet fixtures

Energy Saving - This type of bulb is usually of the compact fluorescent or LED Type.

Compact Fluorescent - This is essentially the same type of bulb as your standard fluorescent bulb but twirled to fit into a smaller space. The ballast and other electronics are housed in the fixture point

LED - Very expensive at the moment and not offering as much light output as the high voltage equivalents will eventually if technology evolves in this sector replace most standard fixtures. They have a lifetime of well over 100 times that of conventional technology while using small amounts of power to produce light.

Spotlight - These may or may not be halogen based. The key to identifying a spotlight is that the sides of the glass or coated with a reflective coating to distribute the light through the face of the bulb. They come in screw and bayonet fixtures

Halogen - These provide a very bright concentrated light for there surface area. They are available in an enormous range and style and are used for internal and external lighting as well as appliances such as ovens and microwaves.

Nightbulbs - These are small very low watt bulbs used to provide low levels of light to illuminate rooms or corridors usually around 2 - 6 watts

Striplight - Also known as tube light. Are fluorescent tubes usually used for utility lighting. They are energy efficient when compared to incandescent lighting

Incandescent lighting - These operate by heating a wire to produce light

Energy efficient bulbs and dimmer circuits

Take note that most energy efficient bulbs are based on compact fluorescent design and cannot be used with dimmer switches as by design they only have two modes of operation (on or off). There are some energy efficient bulbs that have special electronics allowing them to be used with dimmer circuits. Failing to check this may result in damage to your circuit and quite possibly a fire

Disposal of Fluorescent light tubes and low-energy light bulbs (http://www.wasteonline.org.uk/resources/InformationSheets/DifficultWastes.htm)

Fluorescent lighting is more energy-efficient than standard light bulbs, lasting eight to ten times longer and using 75-80% less energy than light bulbs. Similarly, low-energy light bulbs bring considerable energy savings as well as raw material savings as they need to be replaced less frequently.

However, fluorescent light tubes and low-energy bulbs contain toxic heavy metals such as cadmium, mercury and lead. These can be harmful to human health if they come into contact with skin or are ingested or inhaled. If disposed of incorrectly, these heavy metals may leak and cause soil or water pollution.

It is estimated that the UK currently discards approximately 100 million fluorescent tubes every year. This results in approximately 20,000 tonnes of glass and 3 tonnes of mercury being disposed of in UK landfill sites per annum.

To prevent accidental exposure to these substances, obsolete fluorescent tubes and low-energy bulbs should be stored in their original packaging and disposed of at designated recycling facilities or, if larger quantities require disposal, by a specialist contractor.

There are well-established recycling processes for spent fluorescent lights. One of the most advanced techniques for re-processing fluorescent tubes works by dividing the tubes into their constituent parts and then extracting the mercury. It is possible to recover 99% of the mercury with a purity of 99.98%. The mercury can be sold back into industry for use in products such as barometers, thermometers etc. The glass and metal components are also recycled and sold onto the appropriate industries.

Waste fluorescent tubes are subject to the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive, which is currently being transposed into UK law.