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SweetestOfPeas
J'taime Paris!
Member since 3/06 32345 total posts
Name:
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energy saving (CFL) lightbulbs have mercury in them
 holy crap! that is extremely toxic and hazzardous! and they're only produced in China (big shock there)! 
WHY hasn't this fact been published by the media??!!!!
link 1
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Posted 7/10/08 7:05 PM  |
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SweetestOfPeas
J'taime Paris!
Member since 3/06 32345 total posts
Name:
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Re: energy saving (CFL) lightbulbs have mercury in them
"CFLs are all the rage. They are the spirally shaped, long-lasting bulbs everyone is being urged, cajoled and guilt-tripped into purchasing to replace Thomas Edison's incandescents, which are being compared to sports utility vehicles for their impracticality and energy inefficiency. However, there is no problem disposing of incandescents when their life is over. You can throw them in the trash can and they won't hurt the garbage collector. They won't leech deadly compounds into the air or water. They won't kill people working in the landfills.
The same cannot be said about the mercury-containing CFLs. They bear disposal warnings on the packaging. But with limited recycling prospects and the problems experienced by Brandy Bridges sure to be repeated millions of times, some think government, the green community and industry are putting the cart before the horse marketing the new technology so ferociously. "
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| Posted 7/10/08 7:07 PM |
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jax1023
LIF Adult
Member since 3/07 1165 total posts
Name:
Jackie
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Re: energy saving (CFL) lightbulbs have mercury in them
Seriously? This has been mentioned on like every single thread about going green for the last year. It says right on the packages that you have to recycle them with a designated company, not to throw them in the trash.
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| Posted 7/10/08 7:11 PM |
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SweetestOfPeas
J'taime Paris!
Member since 3/06 32345 total posts
Name:
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Re: energy saving (CFL) lightbulbs have mercury in them
You Tube video about an appeal to Congress
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| Posted 7/10/08 7:12 PM |
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SweetestOfPeas
J'taime Paris!
Member since 3/06 32345 total posts
Name:
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Re: energy saving (CFL) lightbulbs have mercury in them
Posted by jax1023
Seriously? This has been mentioned on like every single thread about going green for the last year. It says right on the packages that you have to recycle them with a designated company, not to throw them in the trash.
mercury is highly toxic! I seriously can't believe they're even allowed to be sold here, let alone a law written by Congress to abolish reg. bulbs by 2014  and only have CFL bulbs available.
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| Posted 7/10/08 7:14 PM |
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KLSbear
LIF Adult
Member since 1/06 1908 total posts
Name:
Karen
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Re: energy saving (CFL) lightbulbs have mercury in them
Every Home Depot accepts them for recycling.
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| Posted 7/10/08 7:23 PM |
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SweetestOfPeas
J'taime Paris!
Member since 3/06 32345 total posts
Name:
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Re: energy saving (CFL) lightbulbs have mercury in them
Posted by KLSbear
Every Home Depot accepts them for recycling.
yes but what if one breaks inside your house?
they won't sell plastic guns but they will allow people to buy bulbs with toxins in them? quoting from NPR.org: "Mercury is a potent neurotoxin, and it's especially dangerous for children and fetuses."
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| Posted 7/10/08 7:26 PM |
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CunningOne
***
Member since 5/05 26975 total posts
Name:
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Re: energy saving (CFL) lightbulbs have mercury in them
The amount of Hg in them is no greater than the size of the tip of a ball point pen. However, Hg is toxic and therefore all these bulbs should be recycled. I have helped set up many, many companies with recycling area (Universal Waste) becuase its the big companies (universities, hospitals, etc. )that generate large quantities of them.
Message edited 7/10/2008 7:41:26 PM.
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| Posted 7/10/08 7:40 PM |
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KLSbear
LIF Adult
Member since 1/06 1908 total posts
Name:
Karen
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Re: energy saving (CFL) lightbulbs have mercury in them
Posted by SweetestOfPeas
Posted by KLSbear
Every Home Depot accepts them for recycling.
yes but what if one breaks inside your house?
they won't sell plastic guns but they will allow people to buy bulbs with toxins in them? quoting from NPR.org: "Mercury is a potent neurotoxin, and it's especially dangerous for children and fetuses."
If one breaks in your house it's not nearly the problem that is noted in your links. There have been several articles that indicate she's blown that way out of proportion. Here's one synopsis from the Environmental Defense Fund with info on the real dangers and how to handle cleanup.
Mercury Risk in CFLs: The Facts
July 31, 2007 | Posted by John Balbus in Health, Lightbulbs
The author of today's post, John Balbus, M.D., is Chief Health Officer at Environmental Defense.
Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) use dramatically less energy than incandescent bulbs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But they also contain mercury - a dangerous toxin.
What if you drop a CFL and it breaks? How much trouble are you in?
Despite some alarming news reports, you don't have much to worry about. If a CFL breaks, some of the mercury that's contained in the bulb will evaporate into the air. How much? It's hard to be certain, but one study [PDF] looking at long tubular fluorescent bulbs found that over a two week period, only 17 to 40 percent of the mercury in the bulb evaporated. The rest remained stuck in the bulb. Roughly one-third of the mercury that evaporated did so in the first eight hours after the breakage; the rest seeped out slowly over the remainder of the study period.
The amount of mercury in a CFL is very small, only 4-5 milligrams. This is almost one thousand times less than what was in mercury thermometers! So, let's assume that what happens with CFLs is comparable to what happens with tubular fluorescents. If a bulb breaks, only 0.67 milligrams of mercury (one-third of 40 percent of 5 milligrams) might become airborne in the room during the first eight hours, and only a fraction of that would be breathed in. In short, the exposure from breaking a compact fluorescent bulb is in about the same range as the exposure from eating a can or two of tuna fish. (See our list of "Best and Worst Seafood Choices" for more on mercury in fish.)
The tiny amount of mercury you're exposed to when breaking a CFL is extremely unlikely to cause any ill effects, noticeable or otherwise. But how do you minimize even this tiny amount of risk?
Remove children and pets from the room, and then clean up the broken bulb as quickly as possible. First, increase the ventilation in the room where the bulb broke by opening windows and doors. Then use index cards or other stiff paper to pick up the broken pieces of glass and any visible mercury. Don't use your bare hands, and don't use a vacuum cleaner because this can disperse the mercury more widely. Once you've gotten up the big pieces, use something sticky like duct tape to get up smaller pieces and dust. To be extra safe, stay out of the area for a few hours to let any remaining mercury disperse.
So what does mercury poisoning do to you, anyway? The symptoms are primarily neurological. A low level exposure (like if you broke a dozen CFLs in your house every day for a couple of weeks) would cause insidious symptoms - fatigue, memory problems, difficulty concentrating, and perhaps some mild clumsiness. Higher exposures could give tremors, and mood or emotional disturbances. But this is never going to happen from dropping one CFL!
Because they contain mercury, it's best to recycle CFLs (Earth911.org can tell you how), or bring them to your local Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection site. I've got five bulbs wrapped in bubble wrap in my basement, waiting for me to get a chance to take them to the county HHW site. But if you can't do that, you should seal used bulbs in a plastic bag before placing them in your regular trash.
And if despite your best efforts the bulbs end up breaking in a landfill, using CFLs should still cause a net decrease in mercury in the environment. Why? Because they so dramatically reduce energy use, and coal-generated electricity releases much more mercury than a CFL ever could.
The phrase "contains mercury" sounds alarming, but there is very little risk in the tiny amount of mercury in CFLs, and the benefit to the environment of using them is huge. To learn more about switching to CFLs, visit our guide to making the switch.
No one ever made this fuss over regular florescent bulbs - you know the bulbs that are all over most offices, and in many basements and bathrooms. Even the EPA indicates that old mercury thermometers are more of a problem than CFL's.
EPA site
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| Posted 7/10/08 7:43 PM |
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SweetestOfPeas
J'taime Paris!
Member since 3/06 32345 total posts
Name:
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Re: energy saving (CFL) lightbulbs have mercury in them
Posted by chmlengr
The amount of Hg in them is no greater than the size of the tip of a ball point pen. However, Hg is toxic and therefore all these bulbs should be recycled. I have helped set up many, many companies with recycling area (Universal Waste) becuase its the big companies (universities, hospitals, etc. )that generate large quantities of them.
if it is so toxic that it needs to be put in 2 ziploc bags and recycled properly, how is this considered safe to have in your house?
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| Posted 7/10/08 7:46 PM |
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SweetestOfPeas
J'taime Paris!
Member since 3/06 32345 total posts
Name:
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Re: energy saving (CFL) lightbulbs have mercury in them
Posted by KLSbear
Posted by SweetestOfPeas
Posted by KLSbear
Every Home Depot accepts them for recycling.
yes but what if one breaks inside your house?
they won't sell plastic guns but they will allow people to buy bulbs with toxins in them? quoting from NPR.org: "Mercury is a potent neurotoxin, and it's especially dangerous for children and fetuses."
If one breaks in your house it's not nearly the problem that is noted in your links. There have been several articles that indicate she's blown that way out of proportion. Here's one synopsis from the Environmental Defense Fund with info on the real dangers and how to handle cleanup.
Mercury Risk in CFLs: The Facts
July 31, 2007 | Posted by John Balbus in Health, Lightbulbs
The author of today's post, John Balbus, M.D., is Chief Health Officer at Environmental Defense.
Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) use dramatically less energy than incandescent bulbs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But they also contain mercury - a dangerous toxin.
What if you drop a CFL and it breaks? How much trouble are you in?
Despite some alarming news reports, you don't have much to worry about. If a CFL breaks, some of the mercury that's contained in the bulb will evaporate into the air. How much? It's hard to be certain, but one study [PDF] looking at long tubular fluorescent bulbs found that over a two week period, only 17 to 40 percent of the mercury in the bulb evaporated. The rest remained stuck in the bulb. Roughly one-third of the mercury that evaporated did so in the first eight hours after the breakage; the rest seeped out slowly over the remainder of the study period.
The amount of mercury in a CFL is very small, only 4-5 milligrams. This is almost one thousand times less than what was in mercury thermometers! So, let's assume that what happens with CFLs is comparable to what happens with tubular fluorescents. If a bulb breaks, only 0.67 milligrams of mercury (one-third of 40 percent of 5 milligrams) might become airborne in the room during the first eight hours, and only a fraction of that would be breathed in. In short, the exposure from breaking a compact fluorescent bulb is in about the same range as the exposure from eating a can or two of tuna fish. (See our list of "Best and Worst Seafood Choices" for more on mercury in fish.)
The tiny amount of mercury you're exposed to when breaking a CFL is extremely unlikely to cause any ill effects, noticeable or otherwise. But how do you minimize even this tiny amount of risk?
Remove children and pets from the room, and then clean up the broken bulb as quickly as possible. First, increase the ventilation in the room where the bulb broke by opening windows and doors. Then use index cards or other stiff paper to pick up the broken pieces of glass and any visible mercury. Don't use your bare hands, and don't use a vacuum cleaner because this can disperse the mercury more widely. Once you've gotten up the big pieces, use something sticky like duct tape to get up smaller pieces and dust. To be extra safe, stay out of the area for a few hours to let any remaining mercury disperse.
So what does mercury poisoning do to you, anyway? The symptoms are primarily neurological. A low level exposure (like if you broke a dozen CFLs in your house every day for a couple of weeks) would cause insidious symptoms - fatigue, memory problems, difficulty concentrating, and perhaps some mild clumsiness. Higher exposures could give tremors, and mood or emotional disturbances. But this is never going to happen from dropping one CFL!
Because they contain mercury, it's best to recycle CFLs (Earth911.org can tell you how), or bring them to your local Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection site. I've got five bulbs wrapped in bubble wrap in my basement, waiting for me to get a chance to take them to the county HHW site. But if you can't do that, you should seal used bulbs in a plastic bag before placing them in your regular trash.
And if despite your best efforts the bulbs end up breaking in a landfill, using CFLs should still cause a net decrease in mercury in the environment. Why? Because they so dramatically reduce energy use, and coal-generated electricity releases much more mercury than a CFL ever could.
The phrase "contains mercury" sounds alarming, but there is very little risk in the tiny amount of mercury in CFLs, and the benefit to the environment of using them is huge. To learn more about switching to CFLs, visit our guide to making the switch.
No one ever made this fuss over regular florescent bulbs - you know the bulbs that are all over most offices, and in many basements and bathrooms. Even the EPA indicates that old mercury thermometers are more of a problem than CFL's.
EPA site
if it's so safe, then why all the warnings on the package of what to do incase it breaks. and why the need for special recycling?
just wanted to add that I am not trying to get everyone to switch back to reg bulbs, I'm concerned. I have 2 of these CFL bulbs in my apt.
Message edited 7/10/2008 7:55:05 PM.
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| Posted 7/10/08 7:52 PM |
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neenie
Member since 5/05 22351 total posts
Name:
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Re: energy saving (CFL) lightbulbs have mercury in them
Posted by jax1023
Seriously? This has been mentioned on like every single thread about going green for the last year. It says right on the packages that you have to recycle them with a designated company, not to throw them in the trash.
That's so funny. I'm far from green (getting there, though) and even i thought this was common knowledge, so i actually LOL'd at this response.
I guess its still worth posting though, since many others may not have realized, either (and, it still ranks higher than so many other threads out there....)
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| Posted 7/10/08 7:55 PM |
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KLSbear
LIF Adult
Member since 1/06 1908 total posts
Name:
Karen
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Re: energy saving (CFL) lightbulbs have mercury in them
Posted by SweetestOfPeas
if it's so safe, then why all the warnings on the package of what to do incase it breaks. and why the need for special recycling?
just wanted to add that I am not trying to get everyone to switch back to reg bulbs, I'm concerned. I have 2 of these CFL bulbs in my apt.
It's not that they are so safe, but they are not nearly as dangerous as the scare tactics in that original link you posted would indicate. Like any hazardous substance you need to handle it properly. Regular tube florescents and mercury thermometers have always needed special handling but people didn't get their knickers in knots over it. Besides, I don't know about most of you, but I can't recall the last time I broke a light bulb. It's just like any other hazardous waste - computers, batteries, unused paint, medications - there is a proper way to dispose of them.
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| Posted 7/10/08 8:00 PM |
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CunningOne
***
Member since 5/05 26975 total posts
Name:
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Re: energy saving (CFL) lightbulbs have mercury in them
Posted by KLSbear
Posted by SweetestOfPeas
if it's so safe, then why all the warnings on the package of what to do incase it breaks. and why the need for special recycling?
just wanted to add that I am not trying to get everyone to switch back to reg bulbs, I'm concerned. I have 2 of these CFL bulbs in my apt.
It's not that they are so safe, but they are not nearly as dangerous as the scare tactics in that original link you posted would indicate. Like any hazardous substance you need to handle it properly. Regular tube florescents and mercury thermometers have always needed special handling but people didn't get their knickers in knots over it. Besides, I don't know about most of you, but I can't recall the last time I broke a light bulb. It's just like any other hazardous waste - computers, batteries, unused paint, medications - there is a proper way to dispose of them.
ITA, well stated. Like I said, the amount is small. And the benefits outweigh the consequences IMO. Did you know that the CRT TVs and computer monitors contains 8 pounds of lead in them??
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| Posted 7/10/08 8:21 PM |
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lucyloo
nope
Member since 1/06 9758 total posts
Name:
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Re: energy saving (CFL) lightbulbs have mercury in them
I just switched out all my old lightbulbs last weekend and I'm not concerned.
There are plenty of other toxic things in my house(and most peoples) to be concerned about.
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| Posted 7/10/08 8:29 PM |
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SweetestOfPeas
J'taime Paris!
Member since 3/06 32345 total posts
Name:
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Re: energy saving (CFL) lightbulbs have mercury in them
Posted by chmlengr
Posted by KLSbear
Posted by SweetestOfPeas
if it's so safe, then why all the warnings on the package of what to do incase it breaks. and why the need for special recycling?
just wanted to add that I am not trying to get everyone to switch back to reg bulbs, I'm concerned. I have 2 of these CFL bulbs in my apt.
It's not that they are so safe, but they are not nearly as dangerous as the scare tactics in that original link you posted would indicate. Like any hazardous substance you need to handle it properly. Regular tube florescents and mercury thermometers have always needed special handling but people didn't get their knickers in knots over it. Besides, I don't know about most of you, but I can't recall the last time I broke a light bulb. It's just like any other hazardous waste - computers, batteries, unused paint, medications - there is a proper way to dispose of them.
ITA, well stated. Like I said, the amount is small. And the benefits outweigh the consequences IMO. Did you know that the CRT TVs and computer monitors contains 8 pounds of lead in them??
yea - and lead paint and toys with painted with lead paint.
good thing CRT monitors & TV's are being phased out.
I know the odds of anything truly disaterous happening are probably slim, I just wonder sometimes why selling products w/mercury (even if it is a little bit) is ok, but things that offend people or may be swallowed by a baby get pulled off the shelf.
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| Posted 7/10/08 8:34 PM |
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Katie111806
Team Pink!
Member since 12/06 5349 total posts
Name:
Katie
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Re: energy saving (CFL) lightbulbs have mercury in them
This has been all over the media and I thought this was very common knowledge.
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| Posted 7/10/08 8:58 PM |
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SweetestOfPeas
J'taime Paris!
Member since 3/06 32345 total posts
Name:
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Re: energy saving (CFL) lightbulbs have mercury in them
Posted by Katie111806
This has been all over the media and I thought this was very common knowledge.
my bad for not finding out about it sooner.
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| Posted 7/10/08 9:03 PM |
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smdl
I love Gary too..on a plate!
Member since 5/06 32461 total posts
Name:
me
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Re: energy saving (CFL) lightbulbs have mercury in them
I actually did not know about this so it's not that much common knowledge.
I think it's good to question the "other side effects" of going green.
On a side topic, I am also very concerned about the future plans for recycling batteries of electric and hybrid cars. Everybody says no more gas, no more polution. I hear nothing about disposing of cell batteries.
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| Posted 7/10/08 9:07 PM |
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GoldenRod
10 years on LIF!
Member since 11/06 26792 total posts
Name:
Shawn
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Re: energy saving (CFL) lightbulbs have mercury in them
A broken CFL is less of a hazard than using traditional bulbs. Tons (literally) of mercury are emitted into the air by coal-fired power plants.
Here is some info and charts about mercury and bulbs:
http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/promotions/change_light/downloads/Fact_Sheet_Mercury.pdf
EPA estimates the U.S. is responsible for the release of 104 metric tons of mercury emissions each year. Most of
these emissions come from coal-fired electrical power. Mercury released into the air is the main way that mercury
gets into water and bio-accumulates in fish. (Eating fish contaminated with mercury is the main way for humans to
be exposed.)
How do CFLs result in less mercury in the environment compared to traditional light
bulbs?
Electricity use is the main source of mercury emissions in the U.S. CFLs use less electricity than incandescent
lights, meaning CFLs reduce the amount of mercury into the environment. As shown in the table below, a 13-watt,
8,000-rated-hour-life CFL (60-watt equivalent; a common light bulb type) will save 376 kWh over its lifetime, thus
avoiding 4.5 mg of mercury. If the bulb goes to a landfill, overall emissions savings would drop a little, to 4.2 mg.
EPA recommends that CFLs are recycled where possible, to maximize mercury savings.
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| Posted 7/11/08 8:50 AM |
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SweetTooth
I'm a tired mommy!
Member since 12/05 20105 total posts
Name:
Lauren
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Re: energy saving (CFL) lightbulbs have mercury in them
Posted by KLSbear
Posted by SweetestOfPeas
if it's so safe, then why all the warnings on the package of what to do incase it breaks. and why the need for special recycling?
just wanted to add that I am not trying to get everyone to switch back to reg bulbs, I'm concerned. I have 2 of these CFL bulbs in my apt.
It's not that they are so safe, but they are not nearly as dangerous as the scare tactics in that original link you posted would indicate. Like any hazardous substance you need to handle it properly. Regular tube florescents and mercury thermometers have always needed special handling but people didn't get their knickers in knots over it. Besides, I don't know about most of you, but I can't recall the last time I broke a light bulb. It's just like any other hazardous waste - computers, batteries, unused paint, medications - there is a proper way to dispose of them.
Agreed. So many things in your home have toxins in them. Unless you have gone green with household cleaners, all of them of poisonous substances and I think spilling cleaner is a lot more likely than breaking a lightbulb. If a bulb breaks, open a few windows, use a piece of cardboard to sweep up the glass and then a wet paper towel to clean the rest. Its really not that big of a deal.
You come in contact with so many toxins in everyday life, I don't understand why every time this information is "outed" it causes such a stir. Its like there is some organization out there doing everything possible to scare people away from green products.
ETA: Mercury has always been in flourescent bulbs and people have been using them for years and years. How come there has never been such an uproar about those? Since CFL's are a smaller version of flourescent light bulbs, of course they contain mercury. As of right now there is no subsitute for it.
Message edited 7/11/2008 9:08:42 AM.
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| Posted 7/11/08 9:02 AM |
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SweetTooth
I'm a tired mommy!
Member since 12/05 20105 total posts
Name:
Lauren
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Re: energy saving (CFL) lightbulbs have mercury in them
Here's a list of products that contain mercury:
Airflow/fan limit controls
Antiques
Appliances (Electric)
Appliances (Gas-fired)
Barometers
Button cell batteries
Clothes irons
Electronics
Fishing tip-up lights
Gas flow regulators
Heating and cooling systems
Jewelry
Lamps/Light bulbs
Light switches (Silent)
Mercury
Paint (Latex)
Pesticides
Plumbing
Security systems
Shoes
Sporting Equipment
Television Sets
Thermometers
Thermostats
Tilt Switches
EPA LINK
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| Posted 7/11/08 9:05 AM |
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Ophelia
she's baaccckkkk ;)
Member since 5/06 23378 total posts
Name:
remember, when Gulliver traveled....
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Re: energy saving (CFL) lightbulbs have mercury in them
I love when threads make me lol just a little 
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| Posted 7/11/08 9:27 AM |
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Waste06
Waste not, want not
Member since 6/06 7219 total posts
Name:
Lois Mom Mommy Mama Ma
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Re: energy saving (CFL) lightbulbs have mercury in them
(just because)
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| Posted 7/11/08 10:04 AM |
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Mommy2Boys
My Boys!!!!
Member since 6/06 14437 total posts
Name:
C
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Re: energy saving (CFL) lightbulbs have mercury in them
That's why I WON"T buy them ...they can break way too easily.
Message edited 7/11/2008 10:33:51 AM.
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| Posted 7/11/08 10:33 AM |
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