FAQ: The End of the Light Bulb as We Know It

[Lunican]

If you are worried about breaking a bulb in your house, buy CFLs that have a plastic bulb around the spiral tube.

[Jason]

^ Great poing Lunican.  Many of these new bulbs actually look just like an incandescent bulb.


Here is a pic of what they can look like...

[Jason]

Charleston Native, here is the EPA's recommended method of disposal...

Fluorescent light bulbs contain a very small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing. EPA recommends the following clean-up and disposal guidelines:

Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.

Carefully scoop up the fragments and powder with stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a sealed plastic bag.

Use disposable rubber gloves, if available (i.e., do not use bare hands). Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes and place them in the plastic bag.

Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.

Place all cleanup materials in a second sealed plastic bag.

Place the first bag in a second sealed plastic bag and put it in the outdoor trash container or in another outdoor protected area for the next normal trash disposal.
Note: Some states prohibit such trash disposal and require that broken and unbroken lamps be taken to a local recycling center.

Wash your hands after disposing of the bag.

If a fluorescent bulb breaks on a rug or carpet:

First, remove all materials you can without using a vacuum cleaner, following the steps above. Sticky tape (such as duct tape) can be used to pick up small pieces and powder.

If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken, remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister) and put the bag or vacuum debris in two sealed plastic bags in the outdoor trash or protected outdoor location for normal disposal.

Source:  http://www.epa.gov/hg/spills/index.htm#flourescent

[Jason]

Solar modules made by BP in Connecticut for flat roofs, 5KW system.

Check out this site if you haven't purchased anything yet.  It might be worth looking into.
http://renu.citizenre.com/

[Charleston native]

Charleston Native, here is the EPA's recommended method of disposal...

Fluorescent light bulbs contain a very small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing. EPA recommends the following clean-up and disposal guidelines:

Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.

Carefully scoop up the fragments and powder with stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a sealed plastic bag.

Use disposable rubber gloves, if available (i.e., do not use bare hands). Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes and place them in the plastic bag.

Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.

Place all cleanup materials in a second sealed plastic bag.

Place the first bag in a second sealed plastic bag and put it in the outdoor trash container or in another outdoor protected area for the next normal trash disposal.
Note: Some states prohibit such trash disposal and require that broken and unbroken lamps be taken to a local recycling center.

Wash your hands after disposing of the bag.

If a fluorescent bulb breaks on a rug or carpet:

First, remove all materials you can without using a vacuum cleaner, following the steps above. Sticky tape (such as duct tape) can be used to pick up small pieces and powder.

If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken, remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister) and put the bag or vacuum debris in two sealed plastic bags in the outdoor trash or protected outdoor location for normal disposal.

Source:  http://www.epa.gov/hg/spills/index.htm#flourescent

Good to know, Jason.

Interesting that if a regular bulb breaks, all I've got to do is sweep it and put it with the rest of the garbage.

I mean, hey, with a newborn son, full-time job, and trying to maintain good health, I've got all the time in the world. 

[second_pancake]

Facts about mercury...

Mercury is a natural component of the earth, with an average abundance of approximately 0.05 mg/kg in the earth’s crust, with significant local variations. Mercury ores that are mined generally contain about one percent mercury, although the strata mined in Spain typically contain up to 12-14 percent mercury. While about 25 principal mercury minerals are known, virtually the only deposits that have been harvested for the extraction of mercury are cinnabar. Mercury is also present at very low levels throughout the biosphere. Its absorption by plants may account for the presence of mercury within fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas, since these fuels are conventionally thought to be formed from geologic transformation of organic residues.

The mercury available on the world market is supplied from a number of different sources, including (not listed in order of importance):

Mine production of primary mercury (meaning extracted from ores within the earth’s crust):
either as the main product of the mining activity,
or as by-product of mining or refining of other metals (such as zinc, gold, silver) or minerals;
Recovered primary mercury from refining of natural gas (actually a by-product, when marketed, however, is not marketed in all countries);
Reprocessing or secondary mining of historic mine tailings containing mercury;
Recycled mercury recovered from spent products and waste from industrial production processes. Large amounts ("reservoirs") of mercury are "stored" in society within products still in use and "on the users’ shelves";
Mercury from government reserve stocks, or inventories;
Private stocks (such as mercury in use in chlor-alkali and other industries), some of which may later be returned to the market.

Mercury does not harm the environment, it IS the environment.  The danger with mercury is to human beings and other organisms for which it is known to be toxic.  If someone dumps a bunch of mercury into the St. John's, then our water supply is contaminated and we could get sick or die.  If the mercury is put into a plastic bag (which takes approximately 1000 years to completely disenegrate), and placed into a modern landfill, there is little to no risk at all of any human/other organism contamination.

Here's information on our landfill systems:  https://static.wmdisposal.com/files/brochures/modern_landfill.pdf

As you can see, our modern landfills have complete leachete systems to prevent toxic leachwater from leaving the landfill and contaminating areas that produce product for human consumption.  They also contain water monitoring stations and the soil and water in landfills go through testing for any levels of possible toxic waste.  The modern systems are so effective in preserving the contained waste, that they are known to be very INeffective in doing what they were designed to do; composte waste. 

[Jason]

Good to know, Jason.

Interesting that if a regular bulb breaks, all I've got to do is sweep it and put it with the rest of the garbage.

I mean, hey, with a newborn son, full-time job, and trying to maintain good health, I've got all the time in the world.

No doubt, I have an 8 year old, 1 year old and another on the way.  The last thing I want to have to deal with is potential mercury contamination.  The CFLs I'll be buying will have the protective plastic cover for sure!  The good thing is that I can't remember the last time I've broken a light bulb, so for me having to worry about it is a non-issue anyways.

[Jason]

Mercury does not harm the environment, it IS the environment.  The danger with mercury is to human beings and other organisms for which it is known to be toxic.  If someone dumps a bunch of mercury into the St. John's, then our water supply is contaminated and we could get sick or die.  If the mercury is put into a plastic bag (which takes approximately 1000 years to completely disenegrate), and placed into a modern landfill, there is little to no risk at all of any human/other organism contamination.

Right, if it is properly disposed of (as outlined above).  But the problem is that the average person is likely unaware that trace amounts of mercury is found in CFLs or even that it is harmful.  Luckily the manufacturers are making moves to better protect the bulbs and contain the harmful materials preventing our ignorance from harming us. 

[Charleston native]

Facts about mercury...

...As you can see, our modern landfills have complete leachete systems to prevent toxic leachwater from leaving the landfill and contaminating areas that produce product for human consumption.  They also contain water monitoring stations and the soil and water in landfills go through testing for any levels of possible toxic waste.  The modern systems are so effective in preserving the contained waste, that they are known to be very INeffective in doing what they were designed to do; composte waste.

<Sigh> I find it amazing how you can rationalize something that indeed poses health risks. Ever hear of tears in plastic bags? They do happen. I mean, this is ridiculous. You're finding every excuse in the book to rationalize usage of these bulbs, yet you'll cry bloody murder with cars on the road. I'm done with this debate, guys. The bottomline is that you don't have to worry about disposal methods and health concerns with the old reliable bulb. I think a little common sense should be applied here. Next, you'll be rationalizing the federal government's ban on candy bars because of obesity. Thanks for the frustration...

[second_pancake]

Typical.  When facts are presented contrary to your claim it's someone else's attempt at "rationalizing" .  No wonder you're so frustrated.  It must be very difficult to live life with a blind eye and a closed mind...oh, and let's not forget the deaf ear since no where in any of my posts have I EVER cried "bloody murder" about cars being on the road.  It's nice to know there are still people in the world who have no desire to make a judgement based on the individual, but rather a group of individuals for which they have no first-hand knowlege.  Warm fuzzies.

Oh, and just so you know, incandesent bulbs are made of glass.  When glass shatters it poses a hazard to all exposed flesh as it can cut and become lodged underneath said skin.  In fact, I just did it yesterday...stepped right on the glass with my barefoot.

[Charleston native]

Typical.  When facts are presented contrary to your claim it's someone else's attempt at "rationalizing" .  No wonder you're so frustrated.  It must be very difficult to live life with a blind eye and a closed mind...oh, and let's not forget the deaf ear since no where in any of my posts have I EVER cried "bloody murder" about cars being on the road.  It's nice to know there are still people in the world who have no desire to make a judgement based on the individual, but rather a group of individuals for which they have no first-hand knowlege.  Warm fuzzies.

Oh, and just so you know, incandesent bulbs are made of glass.  When glass shatters it poses a hazard to all exposed flesh as it can cut and become lodged underneath said skin.  In fact, I just did it yesterday...stepped right on the glass with my barefoot.

Good night! 2nd pancake, your response is typical. I've wasted countless minutes explaining to you my opinion, using facts and common sense. It is you who have joined the new cult religion of environmentalism and who refuses to even acknowledge the possibilities, since you "know" that there is glo-bull warming, and the bulb changing will solve the problem. Then you use ridiculous arguments such as bulbs being made of glass...using that logic, we should ban many more things.

Talk about a closed mind...you're so intent on "saving us all from glo-bull warming" that you refuse to even use common sense. Logic. Rational thought. The only reason you love CFLs is because of its supposed benefits to the environment. Yet, you overlook the most obvious argument against using them. Talk about blind faith and allegiance. The only reason I'm frustrated is that I'm wasting my time debating this obtuseness. I've got better things to do.

[Charleston native]

We will just have to agree to disagree, as Jason said earlier.

[second_pancake]

We will just have to agree to disagree, as Jason said earlier.

I have another idea.  How about you come up with 5 scientific facts to support your claim (provide a link or quote the source) that CFLs are dangerous because of the levels of mercury.  Not biased right-wing, opinion pieces/columns, but actual facts about mercury and the levels within a CFL that would make them a hazard to humans.  If you can do that, then I will have no other choice than to concede my point about disposing of them.

[gatorback]

pancake:  I think you should do the research this way you can skew or change the numbers to prove your point a la the current administration!

[second_pancake]

pancake:  I think you should do the research this way you can skew or change the numbers to prove your point a la the current administration!

Lol.  I had to reread this a couple of times before I actually understood what you were saying