3 replies to this topic

[Rogerdodger]

Before you buy another compact fluorescent, PLEASE LOOK AT THIS FIRST!

(Disclaimer: I have 3 in my home now.)

Did you know:

While California's Title 24 law advocates the 50/50 use of fluorescents, its Title 22 law bans the disposal of them by homeowners.

(One estimate I read is that 50,000 lbs of mercury per year could be released into the environment beginning in just a few years.)

As each CFL contains 5 milligrams of mercury, at the Maine "safety" standard of 300 nanograms per cubic meter, it would take 16,667 cubic meters of soil to "safely" contain all the mercury in a single CFL. While CFL vendors and environmentalists tout the energy cost savings of CFLs, they conveniently omit the personal and societal costs of CFL disposal.
LINK

It doesn't really matter then, that the manufacturers and backers of the compact fluorescent light bulb admit they have no program in mind for recycling the potentially deadly mercury contained in those appliances.
LINK

The CFL mercury nightmare
How much money does it take to screw in a compact fluorescent light bulb? About US$4.28 for the bulb and labour -- unless you break the bulb. Then you, like Brandy Bridges of Ellsworth, Maine, could be looking at a cost of about US$2,004.28, which doesn't include the costs of frayed nerves and risks to health.
Aware that CFLs contain potentially hazardous substances, Mrs. Bridges called her local Home Depot for advice. The store told her the CFL contained mercury and she should call the Poison Control hotline, which in turn, directed her to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
The DEP sent a specialist to Mrs. Bridges' house to test for mercury contamination. The specialist found mercury levels in the bedroom in excess of 6 times the state's "safe" level for mercury contamination of 300 billionths of a gram per cubic meter.
The DEP specialist recommended Mrs. Bridges call an environmental clean-up firm which, reportedly, gave her a "low-ball" estimate of $2,000 to clean up the room. The room was then sealed-off with plastic and Mrs. Bridges began "gathering finances" to pay for the $2,000 cleaning. Reportedly, her insurance company wouldn't cover the clean-up costs because mercury is a pollutant.
Given that replacing incandescent bulbs with CFLs in the average U.S. household is touted as saving as much as $180 annually in energy costs -- and assuming Mrs. Bridges doesn't break any more CFLs -- it will take her more than 11 years to recoup the clean-up costs in the form of energy savings.
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One of the big reasons for getting rid of the incandescent bulb is that most of the energy consumed is converted to heat rather than light. This is true.
However, the greatest use of these lights takes place in the winter when there is less daylight and most people want heat!
So is there really the huge cost savings or energy savings promised?
Also, I've had several of the "5 year" bulbs burn out within months, one almost caused an electrical fire.
That saved me no money. I threw it in the trash.

Now as to recycling these bulbs.
Have you considered the hugh size of the "carbon footprint" which would be caused by the proper collection, transportation, this-assembly and processing of waste products contaminated by mercury?

If you are really serious about the environment and energy conservation, use a nice warm incandescent bulb or buy LEDs. But not CFLs. Never again.

Edited by Rogerdodger, 05 May 2007 - 11:37 PM.

[Rogerdodger]

"How should I clean up a broken fluorescent bulb? EPA recommends the following clean-up and disposal guidelines: 1. Open a window and leave the room (restrict access) for at least 15 minutes. 2. Remove all materials you can without using a vacuum cleaner. Wear disposable rubber gloves, if available (do not use your bare hands). Carefully scoop up the fragments and powder with stiff paper or cardboard. Wipe the area clean with a damp paper towel or disposable wet wipe. Sticky tape (such as duct tape) can be used to pick up small pieces and powder. 3. Place all cleanup materials in a plastic bag and seal it. If your state permits you to put used or broken CFLs in the garbage, seal the CFL in two plastic bags and put into the outside trash (if no other disposal or recycling options are available). Wash your hands after disposing of the bag. 4. The first time you vacuum the area where the bulb was broken, remove the vacuum bag once done cleaning the area (or empty and wipe the canister) and put the bag and/or vacuum debris, as well as the cleaning materials, in two sealed plastic bags in the outdoor trash or protected outdoor location for normal disposal." In Duval County it is acceptable to put the debris in the bag and the bag in your trash for normal pickup. It is unacceptable to simply toss the glass and poder into an open trashcan or dumpster. Such was a recent case in St. Johns County where a tanning salon took all of its old fluorescent bulbs and tossed them into a dumpster. "One of our environmental investigators actually had to go down there in a hazmat suit to clean that up properly," said Johnson. After reading the Government suggested process for cleaning up a broken CFL, Candace Parmer had heard enough. "Why do they sell them then? I'm sure people don't know about that!"

[TTHQ Staff]

A local high school last year had a student break an old mercury thermometer in the school and they closed it down for the day for decomtamination. There was suddenly a rash of 'accidental' mercury spills in high schools as the news of how to close down the school spread. Now all they have to do is bring a lightbulb to school. Great.

[Rogerdodger]

I heard a public service announcement from a local group called Mercuryfreetulsa.com
They are trying to remove all mercury thermometers in Tulsa.
I wondered what their position is on the Compact Flourescent Lights which do contain mercury.
But their site has no reference to the mercury dangers of CFLs!
But they do have a link to GREENPEACE!

So what is the position of Greenpeace on CFLs?

CFL bulbs: the myths:
CFLs contain more mercury than incandescents
All CFLs and fluorescent tubes contain a small amount of mercury, which is key in producing the light. It's not ideal but incandescents are probably responsible for more mercury emissions than CFLs; burning coal for electricity emits mercury, and incandescents use much, much more energy. CFLs can be safely recycled without the mercury escaping into the atmosphere, and the mercury can be safely recovered. (By July, all retailers will have to provide CFL return and recycling facilities at their shops under an EU waste directive - IKEA is the only major retailer doing so at the moment.)
But aren't some people allergic to fluorescent light?
Some people who suffer from ultraviolet (UV) or more general light sensitivity report that they have difficulty tolerating fluorescent lighting. It's not clear how many people in the UK are affected by such sensitivities, but there's no reason why incandescent lighting couldn't continue to be made available to those people, perhaps via doctor's prescription.

Can you imagine getting a Doctor's prescription for light bulbs?

Now here's some real science:
"incandescents are probably responsible for more mercury emissions than CFLs"
They did not consider this unintended consequence:
As Chinese manufacturers add enough manufacturing capacity to produce ten times as many CFLs , they will need several new coal-fired power plants to run the new factories. This comes on top of the already breathtaking pace today of construction in coal fired electric power plants in China - at a clip of one new plant every week. Don't even think about asking about what kind of pollution control will be operating on those Chinese plants.

"mercury can be safely recovered"
"Can be" and "will be" are not the same.
Have YOU ever recycled any flourescent bulbs?
Chances are that most will be "recycled" into landfills where they will be crushed and contaminate the soil and ground water.

But what if 1/2 were recycled? What pollution would the rest cause?
(Let's ignore the energy costs of recycling, including collecting, transporting, processing, accidental breakage clean-up, etc.)
If all 4 billion incandescent sockets in the US were filled with CFLs we'd have 20 billion milligrams of mercury spread around every single US household.
By the way, 20 billion milligrams is nearly 50,000 pounds.
If the bulbs last 5 years and if 1/2 are recycled then: 50,000lbs/5years/2= 5,000lbs of mercury entering the environment per year!

Mercuryfreetulsa dot duh!

Ban the CFL Bulb

Edited by Rogerdodger, 14 May 2007 - 10:36 PM.