DOCTOR: Energy saving bulbs impacting Lupus patient

KSTP.com ^ | 1/13/09 | Nicole Muehlhausen

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

They can help save money and the environment, but some say energy saving light bulbs are making them sick.

The new compact fluorescent bulbs have become exceedingly more popular over the past few years—they use less energy and last up to 10 times longer. So Connie Hall, of Stacy, also decided to invest in them, too.

But a week later, Hall developed a severe rash on her arm and neck.

"I was kind of horrified really," she said.

Already super sensitive to light, a symptom of her Lupus, Hall also became weak, tired and her blood pressure was high. But doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong until a light bulb went off.

"When the doctor walked in I said, ‘Do you think it has anything to do with the energy saving light bulbs I’m using,’" said Hall.

Her doctor says that's exactly the case. The ultraviolet rays emitted from the bulbs were making Hall even more sick, and researchers agree the bulbs can not only effect those with Lupus, but also those who suffer from epilepsy or migraine headaches.

"We think when the ultraviolet light hits the skin, it causes inflammation that can trigger a flare up of the entire illness. So it really can be a really big problem for Lupus patients," explained Dr. Daniel Mueller with the University of Minnesota.

Hall has since she replaced the new bulbs with conventional ones, but she now wants to warn others with a similar condition.

"There are other people who are being exposed to this light and have no clue because there's no warning label on the packaging at all," she said.

The Lupus Foundation has recently started lobbying Congress to require warning labels on the energy saving light bulbs. In the meantime, doctors say an easy fix would be to use a light fixture cover or a lampshade.

[Red Badger]

FWIW, TBs on dimmers (in my house, anyway) seem to last much longer than TBs on straight switches.

This is true. You are lowering the voltage to the bulb, and therefore the bulb's filament temperature. The Tungsten doesn't boil off as fast......

[IYAS9YAS]

I have no doubt she’s right about what’s causing her headaches, but curious as to what they might have changed to cause problems now but not last year?

Did she move from a room/area with windows and sun exposure to one without? Many older schools have windows for all classrooms. Many newer ones do not. Maybe she is getting nothing but fluorescent now.

[TC Rider]

LOL, you beat me to it.

[Hawthorn]

> TBs on dimmers (in my house, anyway) seem to last much longer than TBs on straight switches <

It’s a well-known effect among lighting professionals.

A dimmer allows the bulb’s tungsten filament to come gradually up to operating temperature, rather than the near-instaneous heating that occurs with a switch-operated light.

Therefore the dimmer puts much less strain on the tungsten than does a switch.

Anybody who has ever worked in lighting for TV or movie production will tell you that the large Klieg lights in studios usually have dimmers, and the operators are instructed to bring the lights gradually up to temperature in order to extend the bulbs’ lives.

[EBH]

Ping

[al_c]

Didn't last a year......

I've been using them in some areas of my house and having that same experience. Heck, I even have some bulbs that were in the house when I bought it 3 years ago that are still burning while these darn CFLs continue to burn out. I think I'm done with them.

[Scythian]

Don’t drop one or you’ll have to leave your home.

[al_c]

be careful - if you break one, Im told there is mercury vapor inside - have heard stories about rooms being contaminated

It would take thousands and thousands of these bulbs to get enough mercury to equal that in a small thermometer. So that part doesn't bother me ... they just don't last long like they're supposed to.

[Scythian]

Lupis is really Lyme disease ...

[al_c]

How do we dispose of the ones that have stopped working? Since they are full of toxic material?

Take them to Home Depot or Lowe's. Also, see my previous message about the very low mercury content.

[Scythian]

That’s where you’re wrong, it goes airborne and you breath it in, read the instructions on what do if one breaks, you have to remove your carpet, never vacume it, leave the home, for days, to be honest, in most cases you need to contact a hazmat team, if you don’t believe me I can post the official guidelines.

[al_c]

Don’t drop one or you’ll have to leave your home.

No you won't. Each bulb contains about 5 milligrams ... that's about the size of the period at the end of this sentence.

EPA instructions for a broken bulb are:

Before Clean-up: Air Out the Room

• Have people and pets leave the room, and don't let anyone walk through the breakage area on their way out.
• Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
• Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one.

Clean-Up Steps for Hard Surfaces

• Carefully scoop up glass pieces and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
• Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
• Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place towels in the glass jar or plastic bag.
• Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.

Clean-up Steps for Carpeting or Rug

• Carefully pick up glass fragments and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
• Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
• If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken.
• Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic bag.

Clean-up Steps for Clothing, Bedding and Other Soft Materials

• If clothing or bedding materials come in direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from inside the bulb that may stick to the fabric, the clothing or bedding should be thrown away. Do not wash such clothing or bedding because mercury fragments in the clothing may contaminate the machine and/or pollute sewage.
• You can, however, wash clothing or other materials that have been exposed to the mercury vapor from a broken CFL, such as the clothing you are wearing when you cleaned up the broken CFL, as long as that clothing has not come into direct contact with the materials from the broken bulb.
• If shoes come into direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from the bulb, wipe them off with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place the towels or wipes in a glass jar or plastic bag for disposal.

Disposal of Clean-up Materials

• Immediately place all clean-up materials outdoors in a trash container or protected area for the next normal trash pickup.
• Wash your hands after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing clean-up materials.
• Check with your local or state government about disposal requirements in your specific area. Some states do not allow such trash disposal. Instead, they require that broken and unbroken mercury-containing bulbs be taken to a local recycling center.

Future Cleaning of Carpeting or Rug: Air Out the Room During and After Vacuuming

• The next several times you vacuum, shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system and open a window before vacuuming.
• Keep the central heating/air conditioning system shut off and the window open for at least 15 minutes after vacuuming is completed.

[al_c]

if you don’t believe me I can post the official guidelines.

I saved you the trouble.

[Scythian]

My point exactly, I want to go through that and expose my children to mercury at dangerous levels why again?

[al_c]

No, your point was “you have to leave your house for days and call hazmat”

I remember many, many broken fluorescent bulbs through the years ... you know, those long ones .... while working in various places. Never have I heard about or experienced any health issues due to those broken tubes. I think there is more hype than real threat to this.

[thackney]

Each bulb contains about 5 milligrams ...

And yet, as a high-school chemistry lab assistant, me and my buddy found a quart container full of the stuff. We poured across our hands, held it in our palms and played with it often.

[Malsua]

The temp here last night was close to 0, and they were working just fine.

1F when I left for work this morning, porch CFL worked just fine. Sposed to be -8f tomorrow morning. I suspect it's still going to work.

[Zack Attack]

I was at my dads house yesterday and heard a high-pitched noise that gave me a headache. I walked around trying to find the source and it got stronger the closer I got to where he was sitting. I thought maybe it was feedback from his hearing aid or something, but he wasn’t wearing them.

Then I realized it was from the lamp and looked and he said he had just put that new CFL bulb in. I took it out and felt better. Anyone else had headaches from these things or heard very high-pitched noise?

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Nothing so far.....but I’m hearing from friends who have them and use then in their garages that on days like today, the car warms up faster than the bulbs do....

[agrace]

Good thing they’re BANNING THE OLD KIND.

Sheesh.