I understand that coal has all kinds of nasty stuff in it, including Hg....if not virtually every element in the periodic chart!
Do you think that a coal plant producing 100 watts for the life of an incandescent bulb produces that much mercury? I suppose it’s possible for some types of coal. I also understand that 5.5 gms of Hg, being pretty heavy, does not occupy much volume.
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:)
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.