DEFRA washes its hand of mercury light bulb disposal?

Anyone reading my site knows that I have an issue with energy saving compact fluorescent light bulbs. I don't have a problem with them on energy efficiency grounds, but more the issue of the mercury each bulb contains and the fact that whilst the EU is proposing to ban old style lght bulbs and force us all to use CFLs no one seems to be asking about safe disposal. They can neither be recycled or put in landfill.

Yesterday in the Commons, the Tory MP for the Vale of York, Anne McIntosh asked the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, David Miliband what the manufacturing and more importantly the disposal cost of CFLs were over traditional incandescents. The answer from Ian Pearson was indeed telling. Basically, DEFRA have no idea how much it costs to dispose of a CFL because it's nothing to do with them but is a commercial consideration held by commerical companies.

On the basis it's fair to assume that DEFRA haven't considered the mercury content of the light bulbs and it's impact on the environment at all. If they had they would have a good idea of the requirements and impact cost to Government of disposal at both national and local level. So DEFRA now joins the Home Office in not being "fit for purpose" but I think most people knew that anyway.