Posted on 11/05/2010 8:56:12 AM PDT by Libloather
The danger of new 'green' light bulbs
by Abbie Burke
Posted: 11.04.2010 at 2:20 PM
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- They burn brighter, longer, and use less energy. But the squiggly looking light bulbs known as CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs) light up using mercury, a potentially dangerous element.
Switching out old light bulbs to the new CFLs is one of the easiest ways to go green. But what is done with the CFLs after they burn out is perhaps even more important for the environment.
"You don't want that mercury ending up in the landfill, which could then end up getting into the ground and into the ground water," said Melodee Gordon, conservation specialist with Colorado Springs Utilities.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) exposure to mercury can cause damage to the brain, heart, kidneys and lungs.
When put into a landfill the EPA says mercury can potentially find its way into streams and lakes, where fish and shellfish can change it into methyl mercury, a highly toxic form, which can then be ingested by humans.
So what should be done with mercury containing CFLs?
(Excerpt) Read more at coloradoconnection.com ...
We just throw the old CFLs out in the pig sty...pigs’ll eat anything.
I won’t have the mercury filled kind in my house. What do you do if one of them is broken - now you have a hazardous waste situation right in your home. I have grandkids, dogs and cats I don’t want poisened.
Heaven help us - with all our know how surely we can find a better way.
Yet another example of how the law of unintended consequences will bite you in the ass every time.
They burn brighter, longer, and use less energy.
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The first two claims are manifest lies. I assume the third claim is as well.
The CFLs are off shoring American jobs to China.Thanks to the Democrats
No they are not brighter. After dad died we had to replace all of his CFL’s because it was like living in a cave with candle light. We refuse to use them in our own home - period.
First of all, for the love of God, don’t EVER break one.
Even more so, don’t break and casually clean up -4- of them.
Having 10 times the “normal levels” of mercury in your body is NOT FUN.
I got lucky...my levels were “low enough” not to require medical detoxification but using natural methods to flush it out feels worse than just leaving it in.
If it hit me this hard with “low level poisoning” as an adult, imagine what a broken bulb is gonna do to a little kid.
Ban the damn things.
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The first two claims are manifest lies. I assume the third claim is as well.”
No, actually it's true, but with an * after it. They are essentially round fluorescent light bulbs and have the same characteristics. If you turn them ON and leave them ON for long periods, they use considerably less than incandescents. It you turn them ON and OFF frequently, they use more.
That's why they make no sense in bathrooms, closets or other places that are only lit occasionally (that's why you won't find them in those places in our house).
Does anyone have any idea how the “batteries “in the electric cars will be disposed of?
Batteries are not enviro friendly are they?
One literally exploded right over a whole basket of clean laundry in my upstairs bathroom.
Knowing no better, I just picked up the pieces and rewashed the clothes.
Then I put them [still contaminated] in the drier which blew the poison dust all over the place.
Getting it out of you is not pleasant or easy.
The only “bright side” is that I pretty much exclusively use the top floor of the house.
Hubby’s bathroom and clothes are downstairs and the dogs never go up there.
I got it all.
But, better me than them.
That’s odd. I’ve broken one before, cleaned it up and that was that. Never bothered me one bit.
Our recycling center takes them and I save them and drop them off as needed.
Most of the lights in our house are now CFLs with a few exceptions. They don’t bother me one bit. As soon as LEDs come down in price I will switch to those.
I’m sure that battery “reclamation” will be someone’s cottage industry, supported by our tax dollars to keep things green.
I did not know that about the whole on off thing about the bubs.
And they do suck from a lighting perspective. It is like living in a cave.
Geez.
Something I don’t understand. When using my digital camera in a house lit with these “GREEN” bulbs I noticed the view screen flickering steadily. As I turned the camera was pointing out the front window and the picture steadied up. Turning back the flickering came back. I’d heard some people react badly to rapidly flickering light...is that going to be a “unexpected consequence” to this idiocy??
Have you been tested for mercury since then?
I’ve cleaned up 4 and it’s cumulative.
Hopefully, you’ll stay lucky.
The CFL’s don’t last as long as claimed. When used in certain kinds of fixtures or outside, they last much less than we were led to believe. Also, when they burn out, there is sometimes a spark and a pop, possibly leading to a fire.
The congress didn’t care about all that. All they cared about was controlling one more product.
They do burn brighter per watt, but typcially people will use lower watt “green” light bulbs in the same fixture to get the same amount of light they got with the old style bulbs. I presume they do use less energy, as that claim could easily be proven or disproven.
In my experience they don’t last longer than the old ones, are at least not nearly as long as the Greenists try to claim.
I am stocking up on the old bulbs.
We switched from the regulars to the ‘twisty’ bulbs. I personally like them. I’m probably going to get a bunch of hater feedback, but oh well.
I do know they use less energy, and they are as bright as the regular bulbs, but they are kind of dim when you first turn them on. I like the fact they do not get hot.
I’ve never broken one myself, but, seriously, IMHO if that’s the absolute worst thing you’re exposed to in your life, consider yourself lucky.
I’m saying this in the logic that you will not be exposed to the broken bulbs day in and day out, year after year. IMO prescription drugs, household chemicals, gas fumes when you’re filling up your car, etc etc...pose more of a risk because you’re exposed to them more often. I mean, how many bulbs do you break a year? I think in my whole life I’ve broken MAYBE 5 light bulbs.
So there’s my input.
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