A friend recently blogged on Compact fluorescent lights and how much better they are (Green etc). I have purchased them in the past. In my case I found they cost alot more and lasted a very short period of time. Of the six pack I got (sylvania brand) only one is still working after six months.
Then I am reading how you need to take pains to dispose of them. (http://www.earth911.org)
Seems they have to be crushed in a negative vacuume environment with mercury screens.
Next we read that there are a lot of bulbs out there that have no safety rating on them.
Finally if you accidently drop one the EPA recommends the following:
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. More-- 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.
YIKES!!! no more 'be careful of bare feet". Or you can even look at this poor lady. And figure you might be shelling out $2,004.28 for a blub.
Looks like your 'safer' with those LED light blubs. Although, I still need to check into those.
3 comments:
Just having to replace the vacuum cleaner bag already kills any savings I might get for the long term use of those.
Funny how they haven't publicized the pains you need to take to properly dispose of these things.
For something that's supposed to be "green" it seems awful bad for the environment. Hmmm.
Yes, but mercury doesn't cause global warming. It's OK to contaminate the environment with mercury as long as we reduce our CO2 output. Besides, if the mercury starts killing people who produce CO2 sooner, that will also help the environment.
yeah. fluorescents only make sense if you assume they never get broken. and you never have to dispose of them. we waste lots of juice on lightbulbs. we should replace them. but not with fluorescents. sorry. next idea.
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