Beam me to Planet Gore !
Posted on 03/10/2011 1:55:01 PM PST by jazusamo
(CNSNews.com) – A lighting expert who has overseen lighting projects including the Statue of Liberty and the Petronas Towers, expressed concerns on Capitol Hill Thursday about the safety of certain types of new light bulbs.
Speaking before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Howard M. Branston spoke out in favor of the "Better Use of Light Bulbs Act" – a measure which would overturn elements of a 2007 law mandating that traditional incandescent light bulbs be phased out over the next few years.
In his testimony, Branston claimed that parts of the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act served as a “de-facto ban on traditional incandescent light bulbs” and that compact florescent light bulb, or CFLs -- the most popular alternative to incandescent bulbs (ordinary light bulbs) -- pose a risk to public health and safety.
(Click here to see a 2009 CNSNews.com commentary which addressed those issues.)
“The compact fluorescent lamp contains mercury,” said Branston. “One gram of mercury will pollute a two acre pond. This 2007 light bulb standard brings a deadly poison into every residence in our nation.
“We do not have enough knowledge of the potential consequences of being continuously exposed to the electro magnetic field that compact florescent lamps emit. There are millions of people in this country with Lupus, an auto immune disease. Exposure to low doses of light from these lamps causes a sever rash.”
Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho) expressed similar concerns, during his questioning of the panel.
“Has anybody looked at the EPA recommendations put out in January 25, 2011 about what you do if one of these mercury light bulbs break in your home?” Risch asked.
“In Idaho, we’ve had a number of instances where they’ve had a mercury spill in a science laboratory or something in the laboratory in the school, and they immediately closed the school down for, I don’t know, a number of days while they cleaned it up,” he pointed out.
“Can you imagine mercury bulbs throughout a school? I mean, any time a kid wants a day off he’s going to break a mercury light bulb and that’s going to shut that school down and if they don’t they’re going to have trouble with the EPA according to what has to happen to clean it up,” Risch added.
Branston, part of a six-person panel testifying on the legislation, also issued warnings about the safety of LED (light-emitting diode) lamps, another alternative to incandescent light bulbs, saying that not enough research has been done to guarantee the safety of consumers who are exposed to the bulbs.
“When we look at the future of LEDs we have not yet discovered all of the ramifications of that,” said Branston. “The French have found that the output of these lamps is harming the vision of young children. Why aren’t we doing epidemiology studies on that? They contain arsenic and other poisonous materials. Why aren’t we looking at that?
“Why don’t we know that when you throw one of those CFL’s in the trash the mercury changes to methyl mercury which is a deadly poison, which if it gets into our water supply will be a danger?”
However, panel member Steve Nadel, executive director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, dismissed Branston’s concerns claiming that the mercury needed to power old-fashioned incandescent bulbs poses more of a health and environmental risk than that contained within the CFLs.
“The biggest source of mercury in our environment, human caused mercury is from power production,” Nadel said. “If you use the conventional incandescent lamp I believe the EPA found that you would emit 5.5 grams of mercury into the atmosphere that then goes into the water. It can go into the fish and be ingested.
“With the CFL -- and this is EPA data -- there’s only 1.6 milligrams of mercury that goes into the environment. Most of that has to do with -- even a CFL results in some power production, I think 0.4 grams of mercury EPA found typically goes into the environment from the bulb itself. So, it’s not that one has mercury and one doesn’t. They both have mercury and frankly the incandescent has more.”
Besides safety and health concerns Branston, who was the only proponent of the "Better Use of Light Bulbs Act" on the panel, also cited concerns that eliminating incandescent bulbs would cost the nation jobs, put a cost burden on businesses -- many of which will have to update lighting fixtures that are incompatible with the newer bulb -- pose a fire hazard, lower the quality of the light emitted and be an unnecessary government intrusion on the free-market.
Supporters of CFL’s and LEDs say the would significantly lower energy consumption in the United States and are more cost efficient than their incandescent counterparts.
The Energy Independence and Security Act, which was signed into law by President George W. Bush requires roughly 25 percent greater efficiency for light bulbs by 2014. Opponents argue that this will effectively ban the sale of most current incandescent light bulbs.
I don’t know how much Hg a coal electric plant makes. The guys figures are probably for dirty Chinese plants.
Dirty Chinese coal plants have put out Hg which has gone around the world and settled into alligators in half of Florida. I suppose I could look up what percentage of coal plants in the world are dirty but I’m cooking Chinese style (USA origin) dinner tonight and need to get back to it:)
Well, look on the bright side...built in thermometer!
The amount of Hg varies by type of coal. That said, it is very minute. It doesn't show up as a constituent of coal on normal chemical analysis because it is so very minute.
ANY Hg that is emitted into the atmosphere and is claimed as the amount caused by a light bulb is the result of burning A LOT of coal just to get a very minor amount of mercury vapor going out the stack.
That trace amount goes very high up and disperses globally. You are more in danger from poison in the drinks you buy at the store IMHO and I'm not saying they are dangerous I am trying to make the point that worrying about Hg in coal plants is stupid.
Hg from everyone using CFLs concentrated into landfills for the next 50 years is a much more significant danger. And I am not even saying that is a danger either. I am simply trying to point out the double standard by the EPA and the greenies. Hg in coal that is not dangerous--is dangerous to them. Hg in your local landfill accumulating for 50 years is A-OK.
Doesn’t florescence lighting degrade any art work you may have hanging in a room with them unless you’re using UV resistance glass to cover them...
I’ve never owned one and never will!!
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