In several years, cheap-but-inefficient light bulbs that have lit homes for generations will be banished from store shelves in Hawai'i, under measures considered by lawmakers this session.

Legislators are looking at phasing out energy-inefficient lights such as standard incandescents, as well as bulbs with high levels of hazardous materials.

They're also looking to minimize the environmental impact of heavily promoted compact fluorescent lamps, which contain a small amount of mercury, with a statewide recycling program.

"I think this is the responsible way to go, that you don't simply mandate a change without also accounting for the externalities associated with that change," said Henry Curtis, executive director of the environmental group Life of the Land.

Bills being considered in the state House and Senate would prohibit the sale of general purpose lights producing less than 30 lumens per watt beginning in 2012, eventually banning the sale of lights of less than 50 lumens per watt. Beginning in 2010, they would also ban the sale of general purpose lights containing certain levels of hazardous substances.

Standard incandescent bulbs typically produce 10 to 17 lumens per watt, while compact fluorescent lamps produce 50 to 70 lumens per watt, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, are touted as even more energy-efficient, but cost much more.

The bills, endorsed by majorities in the House and Senate, also would require the state Department of Health to develop a statewide recycling program for fluorescent lights by 2011.

"The disposal of lighting that contains hazardous substances by households throughout the state presents a health and environmental hazard in Hawai'i, and therefore, we wanted to pass out a bill that not only promotes greater energy efficiency but also addresses this other environmental problem that households are contributing to in Hawai'i," said Ron Menor, chairman of the Senate Energy and Environment Committee.

California and Canada have decided to ban the sale of incandescent light bulbs by 2012, and Australia is banning them in 2010.

President Bush also recently signed into law an energy bill that would phase out standard incandescents over the next several years. The Sierra Club Hawai'i Chapter believes state law will not be pre-empted by the federal act, said director Jeff Mikulina, adding that the standards outlined in the state legislation are higher and more aggressive than the national standards.

Compact fluorescent lamps, or CFLs, have been touted as an effective way to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions and cut electricity costs. They use about a quarter of the energy of incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

The trend appears to have caught on in Hawai'i. Manufacturers reported selling 700,000 CFLs statewide last year, up from 140,000 sold in 2006, according to Hawaiian Electric Co., which has been offering coupons for CFLs.

But CFLs contain a small amount of mercury in the glass tubing, roughly the amount that would cover the tip of a ballpoint pen, according to state and federal government officials. It's a tiny amount — on average, 5 milligrams compared with 500 milligrams in older thermometers — and no mercury is released when bulbs are intact or in use.

The amount of mercury in each bulb is not enough to pose health risks in households, and CFLs also can reduce mercury in the environment by cutting pollution from coal-fired power plants, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.

But the council, as well as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, also recommends proper disposal of the bulbs to reduce their impact on landfills.

Environmentalists favor LEDs and low-mercury CFLs over incandescents — most incandescents also contain lead — but say the mercury in CFLs poses a health threat if not disposed of properly.

"If it goes into H-power, it may be emitted into the atmosphere," Curtis said. "If it's in the landfills, it will probably leach into some kind of water system."

Federal regulations require businesses and industries to properly dispose of mercury-containing light bulbs. Households are generally exempt.

But many states and local agencies have developed recycling programs for fluorescent light bulbs, and some states and municipalities have regulations that are more stringent than federal standards, according to the EPA. States such as California and Vermont and several counties in Washington state, for example, prohibit households and businesses from putting mercury-containing bulbs in the trash.

Steven Chang, program manager for the state Department of Health's Solid and Hazardous Waste Branch, said businesses here are required to send fluorescent lights to a disposal facility, which crushes bulbs in a specialized container to keep mercury from escaping before sending the glass to the Mainland for recycling. Households are allowed to throw fluorescent lights in the trash, he said.

Chang said the disposal of fluorescent lights from households does not pose a significant threat, saying that there are stringent air pollution control devices at H-power and landfill standards to prevent materials from leaching into the ground.

The state Department of Health has said it supports the intent of the bills but opposes the development of a new, separate state recycling program, citing concerns about funding and additional personnel required for the program.

Reach Lynda Arakawa at larakawa@honoluluadvertiser.com.