China　is　one　of　the　largest　consumers　and　producers　of　fluorescent　lamps　in　the　world,　and　mercury　from　a　large　number　of　spent　fluorescent　lamps　can　enter　the　solid　waste　stream　every　year.　However,　detailed　information　about　the　quantity　and　the　fate　of　mercury　caused　by　fluorescent　lamps　is　unavailable.　This　study　quantified　and　determined　the　fate　and　flow　of　mercury　in　fluorescent　lamps　from　manufacture　to　disposal　using　the　material　flow　analysis　(MFA)　method.　Indirect　mercury　emissions,　which　were　from　coal　consumption　during　the　use　phase,　were　calculated.　The　pathways　for　mercury　reduction　were　also　discussed.　It　was　estimated　that　the　mercury　contained　in　fluorescent　lamps　for　domestic　production,　export　and　import　in　2011　was　29.31,　12.81　and　3.95　tons,　respectively.　The　mercury　in　the　domestic　usage　category　was　20.45　tons,　of　which　3.89　tons　was　sent　for　incineration　and　15.54　tons　was　sent　to　landfill　at　the　end-of-life　phase,　but　only　0.97　tons　of　mercury　was　recovered.　During　the　use　phase,　27.51　tons　of　mercury　was　released　to　the　atmosphere,　and　11.79　tons　was　released　to　the　land.　The　total　amount　of　mercury　emissions　to　the　atmosphere　and　land　was　28.31　and　30.47　tons,　respectively.　Manufacturing　low-mercury-content　lamps,　reducing　coal　consumption　during　the　generation　of　electricity　and　increasing　the　recycling　rate　of　lamps　can　all　significantly　reduce　mercury　emissions　to　the　environment.　(C)　2016　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.