[Bloggers's note: I tried to post this to the comments section of Eric Wolff's Light Bulb Exchange post directly below this one, but it wouldn't take. Perhaps it was too long. So I posted it here instead.]
Actually, there is another excuse not to change your incandescent bulbs in favor of the swirly fluoros jobbers:
Mercury.
These bulbs contain mercury which makes them an environmental hazard.
First of all, they are not easily disposable. The incandescents can easily be, “thrown in the trash 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.”* Not so with the low energy fluorescents.
The second problem that exists with these bulbs is what happens if one breaks in your home. Consider the story of the Brandy Bridges who broke a bulb in her daughter’s bedroom.
“A month later, her daughter’s bedroom remains sealed off with plastic like the site of a hazardous materials accident, while Bridges works on a way to pay off a $2,000 estimate by a company specializing in environmentally sound cleanups of the mercury inside the bulb.”*
I’m not saying moving to the low energy bulbs isn’t still a good idea. I’m just saying everyone should just slow down before going on the “Must buy Fuoros” Rage and consider the downsides — both environmental and personal.
*All quotes from WorldNetDaily article
July 12, 2007 - 11:34 am at 11:34 am
It is true that the bulbs contain mercury, and should be disposed of properly. However, WorldNetDaily (especially on science) tends to have a very…fair and balanced…interpretation of events. In brief, mercury is not very toxic until a methyl group is attached, which happens via bacteria when mercury is released into the environment. The small amount of mercury in a bulb is not methylated, and can be cleaned up with care like other hazardous household materials (antifreeze, paint thinner, oven cleaner, etc.). A $2000 cleanup is HIGHLY unusual.
It’s important that people recycle their florescent bulbs, though, because mercury in landfills becomes methylmercury and that is quite toxic. These exchange events should definately publicize the importance of proper disposal.
Here is an NPR article on this issue, with links to EnergyStar (EPA) and GE explanations of how to dispose of bulbs and what to do if they break.
July 12, 2007 - 12:09 pm at 12:09 pm
Thanks for the heads up on WorldNet. After reading your comment, I perused the site further and found your analysis of, um, “fair and balanced” to be true. Still, my point remains — the law of unintended consequences dictates that a massive, uneducated rush toward one solution often creates a new problem.
Currently my outdoor bulbs are all all fluoros, while the indoors are incandi’s. I’m waiting to see what happens before doing a total switch.