The secret that will destroy us all

thanks for this great post. S&F for you bro good... really opened my eyes

This is a load of scare-mongering #. Most of the world's mercury emissions come from coal power stations. The mercury emitted to create the extra power needed for a conventional lightbulb over the lifetime of an energy saving bulb is more than is contained within the energy-saving bulb.

The writer complains about 157g of mercury being disposed from a town every 5 years, some of which may enter the environment... coal powerstations emit 1500 tons of mercury into the atmosphere every year.

If there were a million towns as described above, there would be 52 tons of mercury a year in lightbulbs, if 10% gets into the environment, thats 5 tons a year. Not significant compared with powerstation output, all of which goes directly into the environment, or with other industrial sources.

An article like this claiming energy-saving lightbulbs are putting your children at risk, when there is plenty more mercury in the very air they breathe is pretty irresponsible.

Also unmentioned is the fact that used energy-saving bulbs should have used up most of their mercury.

The author also didn't mention that fluorescent tube bulbs also contain mercury and are far more fragile.

They also used the very highest amount of mercury you'd find in an energy-saving lightbulb - 5mg, whereas most are now going under 1mg. A 5-fold decrease on the calculation I did above would give 1 ton of mercury pollution a year from a million towns combined use of energy-saving lightbulbs, or 31,500,000,000 bulbs. Not ideal, but no disaster or cause for alarm.

Really? You are all freaking out about a bit of mercury in cfl bulbs?
What about this:

The Grand Junction site is one of seven around the country that are under study by the Energy Department for storage of as many as 14,000 tons of mercury over the next 40 years.

www.gjsentinel.com...
Or this:

The Mercury Study Report to Congress states that 150 tons of mercury are released to the environment every year, year after year.
There is ample evidence that mercury levels in the environment are increasing. One of the most telling indicators is the trend in mercury fishing advisories. In 1993, 27 states had issued health advisories warning the public about consuming mercury-tainted fish. In 1997, this had grown to 39 states. We are going in the wrong direction.

leahy.senate.gov...
Or this:

Forest fires and other blazes in the United States likely release about 30 percent as much mercury as the nation's industrial sources, according to initial estimates in a new study by scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). Fires in Alaska, California, Oregon, Louisiana, and Florida emit particularly large quantities of the toxic metal, and the Southeast emits more than any other region, according to the research.

www.sciencedaily.com...
www.nsf.gov...

More than 100 tons of mercury are used annually by dentists in the United States.
At least 2,700 tons of mercury are released into the atmosphere each year from the oceans and the Earth’s crust.

dentalresource.org...
What are you going to do, eat your light bulbs?
The secret that will destroy us all? Um, ya.
Since when have we cared much about the environment anyway?
That would get in the way of profits!
*sarcasm off*
There are worse things to be freaked out about. IMO
But whatever floats your fishin' boat!

Should I be concerned about using CFLs in my home?
CFLs are safe to use in your home. No mercury is released when the bulbs are in use and they pose no danger to you or your family when used properly.

www.nvisioncfl.com...?

The most common way Americans are exposed to mercury is through tuna fish.

www.nrdc.org...
C'mon get a grip.
Land of the greed, home of the 'fraid?


[edit on 6-9-2009 by dodadoom]

It has also been rumored that these new "mercury" bulbs,actually contain no mercury at all,and that the big electric company's are pushing this idea that the bulbs are bad because,their bulbs burn more electric power,which means you pay more on your electric bill,than gives big electric more money. Is this some kind of smoke screen? Can any ATSers actually test one of these bulbs? Conspiracy?

reply to post by CX


You threw them into the bin? Isn'y one of the main points in this thread to dispose of them properly?

They call for proper disposal right on the bulbs, if people aren't disposing of them properly well then thats life. Fact is they do cut down energy costs and last 10X longer. They also read these bulbs contain mercury right on the side. No news to me.

Originally posted by NoJoker13
Fact is they do cut down energy costs and last 10X longer.

Making them 10X better for the world than the old bulbs

Well there is a new bulb coming out soon!
www.thegreenestdollar.com...

reply to post by nyar74


Correct, if people can't dispose of them properly then I'd say someone should make a proposal for hefty fines if found disposing them improperly.

reply to post by CASH69


Well that pretty much kills this arguement doesn't it??? Great thread.

reply to post by NoJoker13


LMAO, Seems that way,we knew someone would be on top of it,go figure. Kudos

reply to post by Pinkarella


I know! My husband wants us to use the energy efficient ones to save money on our bills, but they burn out just as fast if not faster than the regular ones! He says it's because we turn the lights on and off all the time, they are supposedly made to be left on? I turn them off when I leave the room the way my mom taught us to do to save electricity. I like the way the old ones look better anyway. I just went and replaced the ones in our kids rooms, as they are exposed on the low ceiling and they are all tall and have to duck a little. It seems best not to take a chance with that.

[edit on 6-9-2009 by Lexxica]

reply to post by NoJoker13


They don't last longer all the time, we have had them die within less than a year of installing them. I was pissed because we spent the extra money on them to die that soon? that's ridiculous.

reply to post by MR BOB


Good to know, I use a few of these, but only outside.

I'm sure someone has said this already but this is why you're not supposed to play with those long fluorescent tubes you see being thrown out periodically. I'm sure we've all seen plenty of videos of people breaking them, maybe you've broken some yourself, that dust that comes out is what the warning label is talking about.

These are just compact versions of the long tube bulbs.

These have been the standard in the UK for many years - we have used them for at least 10-11 years in our house. I'm sure there have been multiple smashes over the years and I'm sure noone has become brain damaged from it (as far as I know).

Perhaps they will become apparent in the future though. I've alwyas thought it'd be interesting to see what recently born children will be like in a few decades, with all the GM food, toxins in water supplies, radiation, vaccines, very poor diets.

Cancer much more prevalent? Massive IQ drop in a few generations?

[edit on 6-9-2009 by AR154]

I didn't read every post on every page of this thread, but I didn't notice anyone ask if this is true. Is their really mercury in these bulbs? If so, says who? I'm not disputing the fact, merely asking if this is rumour or fact.

Originally posted by CASH69
It has also been rumored that these new "mercury" bulbs,actually contain no mercury at all,and that the big electric company's are pushing this idea that the bulbs are bad because,their bulbs burn more electric power,which means you pay more on your electric bill,than gives big electric more money. Is this some kind of smoke screen? Can any ATSers actually test one of these bulbs? Conspiracy?

Many of the posts on the internet that are attacking various people or ideas or promoting a certain cause ARE being conducted by paid employees of public Relations Firms on behalf of their clients.

This is the NEW marketing paradym.

If you want Justice, seek the truth, if you want the truth follow the money (somebody said that in 300AD)

Originally posted by AnonymousMoose

Originally posted by whskybarjm

the amount of merc is so small it takes thousands and thousands to amount to one ioata of a problem. To combat this, it is called recycleing, which you all wanted in the first place. You want to save energy, then use these lamps and recycle them when their life is up. That is what you wanted, to save energy. Do you realize how much energy is saved if every household uses at least one of these lamps.

There are millions of households using these bulbs. Nobody knows of any recycling programs for these pieces of hazardous waste. As stated in a recent reply most people toss them out, even though it is illegal to do so in my state. There are no recycling programs for them, no information, no enforcement of the law against tossing them out. Most people simply do not know...and tossing them in with other recyclables would be turning everyday cans/bottles/paper into deadly toxic waste

Originally posted by whskybarjm
I just moved out of this country...

...hey! problem solved...who's next?

get your facts straight sir. Electrical Supply houses stock recycle boxes for large corps. It is against the law to throw away large quantities. Basically you buy this box, it comes with paid mailing, you put the lamps into the boxes and it ships to the recylce plant.

please before you make an ignorant comment do your research first.
www.lamprecycling.com...
www.bethlehemlamprecycling.com...
www.green-energy-efficient-homes.com...
these are just a few. Also recycle centers have a place for the lamps.

nobody wants to make the extra effort, just people like yourself who automatically ass u me. always remember that little word and its true meaning. when you assume you make an ass out of u and me.

you are the problem!

and yes, i do enjoy Canada and Amsterdam a lot better. I have turned my back on my home country until they prove to me it is worth me defending it.

by the way its not just cfl's hat have the merc. All fluorescent lamps have always had the metal. schools have always used these lamps, looks to me you did not pay attention in class as you have not learned how to research, corp offices have always used these lamps. Today's fluorescent lamp's have become more eco friendly then ever before.

now please put your thumb back in your mouth and sit down!

by the way I used to be the one who enforced the law, people are just way to lazy to care, and people like yourself who just find things to complain about.

[edit on 9/4/2009 by whskybarjm]

[edit on 9/4/2009 by whskybarjm]

[edit on 9/4/2009 by whskybarjm]

Originally posted by AllseeingEYE
I didn't read every post on every page of this thread, but I didn't notice anyone ask if this is true. Is their really mercury in these bulbs? If so, says who? I'm not disputing the fact, merely asking if this is rumour or fact.

yes...there has been mercury in flourescent lights for over 50 years. The "NEW" bulbs are not really NEW bulbs, what is NEW about the little flourescent bulbs is the extremely efficient (and small, and cheap compared to inductor ballasts) one-chip-power-supply..

Long Flourescent tubes have a bit 'o mercury in them..Mercury the metal itself is not toxic, (unlike cadmium which is toxic in its metallic state or Gadolinium) but the salts are extremely toxic, the scum that forms on the surface of a vat of mercury is what is toxic. The vapors of mercury get absorbed through the lungs and then end up as the toxic form.

The rule of thumb for what is "safe" is a comparison with the background exposure levels that we have to deal with naturally... Like a chest X-Ray is as much X-Rays as thr X-ray and gamma sitting in the sunlight for 30 minutes ( I think)..

The dose makes the poison.

A few tablespoons of table salt will kill yah...too..