Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFL's) – Shrink Wrap, Mercury and the Environment

Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFL's), Shrink Wrap, Mercury and the Environment

CFL's are sold within the context of being beneficial to the environment.
Two things come to light which might lead one to question this assumption:

CFL's (unlike incandescent bulbs) contain mercury which has a negative environmental impact when released.
The Popular Mechanics article Compact Fluorescent Bulbs and Mercury: Reality Check suggests that coal burning power plants emit more mercury (than what is contained in one CCFL) into the environment for each incandescent bulb of equal light output to a CFL.

On the other hand, how do the individual consumers' efforts to properly recycle used CFL's compare with the regulations (and adherence thereto) for power plants when it comes to the proper disposal of mercury? Also, instead of comparing the amount of mercury produced by coal-burning power plants, it would seem more accurate to compare the overall differential of mercury released to the environment resulting from the use of a CFL verses an incandescent bulb. And, ... beyond the impact of the mercury, one should not forget other environmental benefits of using CFL's.
The CFL's on the market today are typically (but not always) packaged in shrink-wrap which is also believed to have a negative environmental impact...
Would it help to encourage store managers to not stock their shelves with shrink-wrapped CFL's?

Note, there are corn-based shrink-wrap package options (polylactic acid (PLA)) which at first glance would seem to have less of an impact; however, as throughly discussed in the Omnivore's Dilemma, the production of corn also has a significant environmental impact.

The overall environmental equation seems a bit more complex after some thought than might seem the case at first glance. Nonetheless, with proper packaging and disposal consideration for CFL's, it would seem to appear that the net-net of using CFL's has a significant benefit to the environment... But then, you may wish to form your own opinion.

Links:

Compact Fluorescent Lamp / Recycling Project Phase I / Draft Report / Background Research and Program Options
http://www.zerowaste.org/cfl/IMAGES_A/phase_I_rpt.pdf

Dutch lighting company Lemnis

Compact fluorescent light bulbs contaminate the environment with 30,000 pounds of mercury each year
http://www.newstarget.com/021907.html

Query submitted about process employed to decide on incandescent bulb ban in Canada
http://www.nrsp.com/letter-nrsp%20to%20baird-07.05.10.html