Compact Fluorescent Lamps

[Spinner]

Has anyone heard this?

A single fluorescent light contains enough mercury to contaminate 6,000 gallons of fresh water. If you break one in your home, you'll release mercury vapor and require a hazardous materials cleanup that can cost you $2,000 or more. The mercury in fluorescent lights is poisoning landfills and underground water reservoirs all across the country, and the more people keep buying these mercury-containing lights, the more toxic the environment will get.

The email I received makes a statement that ALL fluorescent lights contain mercury. I have lots of fluorescent lights in my house, now I'm wondering if I should go back to the old fashion lights that use more electricity just to be safe and environmentally friendly.

[BAmaBubba]

The levels of mercury aren't nearly as high as this mentions but proper disposal is a must!

Snopes

Brandon

[Old Vet]

The mercury found in a flouresent light is miniscul. It would take about a hundred to make a drop. It is their but the amount is so low that they are not poluting anything. Their are more poluting efects in a lot of other things.

Mercury is a natrual mineral and is found in most parts of the world.

[wy_white_wolf]

If there’s one lingering concern about fluorescents and compact fluorescents, it’s mercury pollution. The chemical reaction that produces fluorescent light requires a small amount of mercury inside the bulb. Mercury is a neurotoxin, and many people are understandably reluctant to introduce it into their homes. To help address these concerns, the Energy Star program has posted a fact sheet on its Web site.

Most experts say not to worry about the health effects of exposure to the mercury in a compact fluorescent, even if the bulb breaks. As a frame of reference, one CFL contains 4 milligrams of mercury, just a fraction of the 500 milligrams found in old mercury thermometers, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

In fact, using compact fluorescents actually reduces mercury pollution, because the main source of mercury pollution is coal-burning power plants — the most common source of electricity in the United States. According to the EPA, the power used during the life of an incandescent bulb breaks down to about 10 milligrams of mercury pollution, compared to only 2.4 milligrams to operate a CFL for the same length of time.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Alter...-Lighting.aspx

[arabian knight]

I would be a bit concerned about such a smalll amount that is in them not at all.~!

[Beeman]

I guess the bottom line is that to create artificial light you are in one way or another creating pollution. I think the hardest part is learning what creates the least amount and what is cost effective.

[WisJim]

Burning coal in a power plant puts more mercury in the air when powering a regular incandescent bulb than is contained in a compact flourescent. In the lifetime of the bulbs, less mercury is involved in the CF bulbs than in the incandescent bulbs, if you include the mercury from generating the power using coal, and the mercury in the bulb itself. All flourescent bulbs should be recycled, so the mercury and other materials in the bulb aren't wasted. By recycling, all of the mercury in the bulb is kept out of the environment. Also, regular incandescent bulbs contain lead in the solder at the base and should also be recycled so the lead doesn't get in the environment.

Using and recycling flourescents will keep a lot of mercury from being released into the environment, but they need to be recycled. We pay 50 cents a bulb to recycle them, but they are still much cheaper to operate than old incandescent bulbs, so we save money in the long run. We have been using them for 18 years or so, just a couple at first but as the price has dropped we use compact flourescents almost everywhere.

[YuccaFlatsRanch]

I am looking for a reasonable source for LED light bulbs. They are available on Ebay and at www.ccradio.com. These are the truly efficient (but costly) light bulbs. If our government really wanted to help they would donate bulbs to power companies who would give them to their customers. That would really go a long way towards solving some energy. The census says that there will be 115 million households in the US by 2010. If the government provided $500.00 worth of these bulbs per household the cost would be about $60 billion - chump change when compared to building more power plants etc and saving energy is always more cost effective than producing it.

[danoon]

Originally Posted by YuccaFlatsRanch

I am looking for a reasonable source for LED light bulbs. They are available on Ebay and at www.ccradio.com. These are the truly efficient (but costly) light bulbs. If our government really wanted to help they would donate bulbs to power companies who would give them to their customers. That would really go a long way towards solving some energy.

I agree, led is the way of the future and I love CCrane wind up radios and lights but its pretty costly for those 110V led lights. Whoever makes an affordable one will become rich quick.

[dare2b]

I've replaced all but one of my indoor lights with fluorescent bulbs and I can see the smokestacks of the coal-fired TXU power plant from my front porch. Oh, the irony.

[pixelphotograph]

www.lamprecycle.org
You can recycle your old bulbs there and they know how to deal with them.

[rambler]

I expect regular bulbs will be outlawed in our flurry of hurry to all be super Green.

After that happens, this issue will come up. You are trying to short-circut the whole plan by bringing this up too early!

When this issue comes up - after all other types of lights are outlawed, we will all be required to recycle each bulb at, like, $5 a piece disposal fee because of the _horrible_ eccological danger they have. You know, it's in our best interest. Pay here.

Heck, I have several of the sqiggly bulbs at my place, even tried one in the below zero barn. I'm all for saving juice & trying to find a better way.

Just don't like the direction of the greenies, seems anything you do they are against & are ready to slap a law & cuffs on you. Even when you try to follow their direction, always turns out that is wrong too & will cost me.

Sorry for the rant. I'll be quiet & just read again.

--->Paul

[auctioneer]

Originally Posted by rambler

ISorry for the rant. I'll be quiet & just read again.

--->Paul

Never apologize for speaking the truth!

[Beeman]

Originally Posted by rambler

I expect regular bulbs will be outlawed in our flurry of hurry to all be super Green.

After that happens, this issue will come up. You are trying to short-circut the whole plan by bringing this up too early!

When this issue comes up - after all other types of lights are outlawed, we will all be required to recycle each bulb at, like, $5 a piece disposal fee because of the _horrible_ eccological danger they have. You know, it's in our best interest. Pay here.

Heck, I have several of the sqiggly bulbs at my place, even tried one in the below zero barn. I'm all for saving juice & trying to find a better way.

Just don't like the direction of the greenies, seems anything you do they are against & are ready to slap a law & cuffs on you. Even when you try to follow their direction, always turns out that is wrong too & will cost me.

Sorry for the rant. I'll be quiet & just read again.

--->Paul

The gov't will make it better mentality is a big problem. Unfortunately what would bring about change is education but we let the gov't control that. Do you see a cycle here? An educated public would demand the changes and force the markets, unfortunately we're going away from an educated public and educated leaders driven solely by a greed for money. It now seems the only thing that brings about change is costs and profits.
Gas was up to record highs a few weeks ago and this board was filled with posts about conserving and alternate fuels, read the board today. Gas is $2.66 by me and happy days are here again.

[Scrounger]

I have a few of those "squigley" floro bulbs around here....somewhere. I HATE the things! I had one in the garage - absolutley worthless below 25 degrees. Even in the house, they may save energy, but you need 3 to have usable light. I think there are some still in the package around here someplace. As for the LED lights - I had a few when my cabin was 12v before we got power. Gave up on them, too! We went to the incandecant 12v bulbs. The LED cast to many shadows for my eyes. My wife's dad has them in his house for use as night lights. I can see more without them on then with them. I was given an LED flashlight one time - I ended up taking the bulb out and replacing it with a real one so it could be used! We have about 40 Kero lamps if the electricity goes out. They might be fine for some of you, but I can't use them! Sorry for the rant!

[SolarGary]

Hi,

Here is a link to Popular Mechanics latest test of CF's vs incandescents:
http://www.popularmechanics.com/home...html?series=15

Pretty interesting.

Gary

[Alice In TX/MO]

I also hate the compact fluorescent bulbs. Hubby installs them. When he goes out of town on his job, I put in real light bulbs that put out light.

[Kmac15]

I have found that the flourescent bulbs can be a bit slow to brighten up and use them in rooms that I can wait for the light, like the bedroom or kitchen. but the bathroom needs real bulbs

[Ed Norman]

Originally Posted by YuccaFlatsRanch

If our government really wanted to help they would donate bulbs to power companies who would give them to their customers.

So I pay more taxes and have less money, then wait for the guvmint to give me lightbulbs with my extra tax payment? How about I keep my money, buy my own bulbs, and keep Uncle Sam out of it?

Remember the government has nothing to donate to anybody without first taking money from somebody else.

[Grandmotherbear]

YuccaFlats- I have 2 LED bulbs around somewhere- they produced around 20 watts of light- there is really only a use for directional lighting. I could put them in a gooseneck except the metal cover won't fit...frustrated as I really think that is the light of the future also- ps my LED dark activated nightlite is still doing well 2 1/2 years after purchase...
CCrane is working on an LED lightbulb that is shaped like incandescents, hopes to have it realeased by end of 2007.