Express expose dangers of energy saving lightbulbs [Archive]

View Full Version : Express expose dangers of energy saving lightbulbs

largejack

14-03-2009, 02:45 PM

It's front page of the Daily Express

Here is a related article

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/89185/Dangers-of-low-energy-lightbulbs

always_rebel

14-03-2009, 03:44 PM

It's front page of the Daily Express

Here is a related article

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/89185/Dangers-of-low-energy-lightbulbs

Another deadly and moronic experiment. A child knows about the dangers of mercury.

So much for "inventors".

ennui

14-03-2009, 03:46 PM

I can't use them as I have porphyria. I've been stocking up on the old ones and when they run out I'll be sitting in the dark!

fxmark

14-03-2009, 04:04 PM

Due to another flawed Government initiative the energy company's have given away 120 million of these lightbulbs. Under the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (Cert) scheme, by distributing 173 low-energy bulbs, energy companies can accrue the same “score” as installing cavity wall insulation on a three-bedroom home.

drhemp

14-03-2009, 04:22 PM

They want people to be ill.

motleyhoo

14-03-2009, 07:15 PM

Mercury in CFL lightbulbs is certainly an issue, but all the Mercury in all the CFLs in all of the world all added together is completely negligible compared to the amount of Mercury released by one single coal-fired power plant. But you never hear the people harping about lightbulbs mention anything about that. I wonder why....

Stories like this are the epitomy of what I call "perception deception". They only give you one side of the story, and in a deceptive way, in order to skew your perception of reality. They're hoping you take their words at face value only, and you'll become so alarmed that you do their work for them and spread the same flawed story to as many people as you know, who will also do the same thing.

icemanrip

14-03-2009, 08:51 PM

They want people to be ill.

All part of the Eugenics and Mass De-Population of the world. Ask yourself why they are making it compulsory for every household to have these in there home As Drhemp says to make people ill

beldazar

14-03-2009, 10:29 PM

Did anyone notice the rise in sales of energy saving bulbs? Recently Ive seen them on offer in various shops.
Can you imagine if lots of people get rid of theirs in one go and they all get smashed together? :mad:

brainfreeze

14-03-2009, 10:31 PM

I can't use them as I have porphyria. I've been stocking up on the old ones and when they run out I'll be sitting in the dark!

I do too. I didn't know we couldn't use them, though I don't use them.

steppewar

14-03-2009, 11:56 PM

Here is a detailed website on the MANY dangers of low energy light bulbs ...

http://lowenergylampsinfo.wordpress.com/

motleyhoo

15-03-2009, 12:35 AM

Oh yeah, and also, the sheer number and size of flourescent bulbs that have been used in thousands upon thousands of commercial buildings for decades now far exceeds those of the CFLs people are buying for personal use. There's no doubt that you should not inhale or ingest the contents of a broken CFL, but IMO the hysteria over this is unfounded.

the nine

15-03-2009, 12:41 AM

They want people to be ill.

so they need lots of medication...pills and more pills..whaahahaahaaha

the nine

15-03-2009, 12:44 AM

motleyhoo

15-03-2009, 01:33 AM

to achieve what motle?

have you seen the electro magnetic polutency kicked out by these? they fuck with your DNA and cells!

So do TVs, those electrical bricks everything plugs into nowdays, computers, WiFi routers, modems, cell phones, cordless phones, cell towers, microwave towers, power transformers, microwave ovens, electric stoves/ovens, portable heaters, the alternators on every car, streetlights, and the list goes on.

If you work in an office building that uses flourescent lights (most people do), you're getting a thousand times more EMF from that than you ever would from a CFL even if you replaced every light in your house with one.

I'm getting way more EMF right now from the notebook computer I'm typing on than I would ever get from the CFL that's in the table lamp next to my sofa I'm sitting on.

ennui

15-03-2009, 01:52 AM

I do too. I didn't know we couldn't use them, though I don't use them.

Yes, they're not recommended for people with Lupus and light sensitive porphyria. I come out in a painful rash if I sit under a CFL light for too long.

paolo

15-03-2009, 02:01 AM

gilly

15-03-2009, 05:33 PM

"MALCOLM'S JUNK SCIENCE POLICY
by Betty Luks
Hands up those who heard the Minister for the Environment Malcolm Turnbull lauding the present government's 'clean green' plan to switch from the incandescent light bulbs to the compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) in the near future?

When this family first read of the potential hazards of the soon to be compulsory CFLs we phoned the local supermarket about them. No, the manager hadn't heard they were a potential environmental hazard so he followed up the matter and reported back to us. Yes, it was correct they were a known hazard, but no, government wasn't going to do anything about the matter till the old bulbs were being phased out.

Now read on: "Junk Science: Light Bulb Lunacy," by Steven Milloy, 29/4/07(US spelling).
How much money does it take to screw in a compact fluorescent lightbulb? 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 $2,004.28, which doesn't include the costs of frayed nerves and risks to health. Sound crazy? Perhaps no more than the stampede to ban the incandescent light bulb in favour of compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) - a move already either adopted or being considered in California, Canada, the European Union and Australia.

According to an April 12 article in The Ellsworth American, Bridges had the misfortune of breaking a CFL during installation in her daughter's bedroom: It dropped and shattered on the carpeted floor. Aware that CFLs contain potentially hazardous substances, Bridges called her local Home Depot for advice.
The store told her that the CFL contained mercury and that she should call the Poison Control hotline, which in turn directed her to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Department of Environmental Protection (DEP):

The DEP sent a specialist to Bridges' house to test for mercury contamination. The specialist found mercury levels in the bedroom in excess of six times the state's "safe" level for mercury contamination of 300 billionths of a gram per cubic meter.
The DEP specialist recommended that Bridges call an environmental cleanup firm, which reportedly gave her a "low-ball" estimate of $2,000 to clean up the room. The room then was sealed off with plastic and Bridges began "gathering finances" to pay for the $2,000 cleaning.

Reportedly, her insurance company wouldn't cover the cleanup costs because mercury is a pollutant. Given that the replacement of incandescent bulbs with CFLs in the average U.S. household is touted as saving as much as $180 annually in energy costs - and assuming that Bridges doesn't break any more CFLs - it will take her more than 11 years to recoup the cleanup costs in the form of energy savings.

Even if you don't go for the full-scale panic of the $2,000 cleanup, the do-it-yourself approach is still somewhat intense, if not downright alarming. Consider the procedure offered by the Maine DEP's Web page entitled, "What if I accidentally break a fluorescent bulb in my home?"
§ Don't vacuum bulb debris because a standard vacuum will spread mercury-containing dust throughout the area and contaminate the vacuum. Ventilate the area and reduce the temperature. Wear protective equipment like goggles, coveralls and a dust mask.
§ Collect the waste material into an airtight container. Pat the area with the sticky side of tape. Wipe with a damp cloth. Finally, check with local authorities to see where hazardous waste may be properly disposed."

http://www.alor.org/Volume43/Vol43No19.htm

motleyhoo

15-03-2009, 06:09 PM

According to an April 12 article in The Ellsworth American, Bridges had the misfortune of breaking a CFL during installation in her daughter's bedroom: It dropped and shattered on the carpeted floor. Aware that CFLs contain potentially hazardous substances, Bridges called her local Home Depot for advice.
The store told her that the CFL contained mercury and that she should call the Poison Control hotline, which in turn directed her to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Department of Environmental Protection (DEP):

The DEP sent a specialist to Bridges' house to test for mercury contamination. The specialist found mercury levels in the bedroom in excess of six times the state's "safe" level for mercury contamination of 300 billionths of a gram per cubic meter.
The DEP specialist recommended that Bridges call an environmental cleanup firm, which reportedly gave her a "low-ball" estimate of $2,000 to clean up the room. The room then was sealed off with plastic and Bridges began "gathering finances" to pay for the $2,000 cleaning.

Reportedly, her insurance company wouldn't cover the cleanup costs because mercury is a pollutant. Given that the replacement of incandescent bulbs with CFLs in the average U.S. household is touted as saving as much as $180 annually in energy costs - and assuming that Bridges doesn't break any more CFLs - it will take her more than 11 years to recoup the cleanup costs in the form of energy savings.

Perception Deception. The mercury contamination limit is based on the generalized amount of mercury in the environment, not the amount of mercury contained in a little pile of white dust that fell out of a broken bulb. Of course if you take a swipe sample of that little pile and measure it it will be way, way over the generalized limit. In other words, that lady got ripped off by shysters who took advantage of her hysteria and ignorance instead of actually trying to help her.

You don't need a million dollar industrialized sterilization system to clean up a broken CFL. Take a damp paper towel (costs about 2 cents), wipe up the broken bits and dust, then throw said towel in the trash. There's really no need to pull out a gas mask and go crazy with hysteria about mercury poisoning, and the author who wrote that book is using fear to unjustifiably scare people in order to justify his crusade. I'm sure he makes good money off of that book also.

CFLs are not perfect (neither are regular bulbs), and I am not saying they do not have an environmental impact, but we all have to be very critcial when we read stuff. I want to reiterate - we ingest far more mercury that comes from power plants than we ever would from these bulbs. The mercury from power plants has permeated our soil and our water. If you live anywhere within 30 miles of a coal plant (most people do) you have mercury in your air, soil, and water, and therefore it is in everything you eat and drink and in the air you breath. This is what we should really be fighting.

I am not being critical of you, gilly. I am being critcial of the author of that book.

danster82

15-03-2009, 06:26 PM

They want people to be ill.

this

ownoiz

16-03-2009, 01:18 AM

when they run out I'll be sitting in the dark!

I was thinking about this the other day (not being able to buy conventional bulbs) and have come up with an answer, and it works just fine. And cheap...do it yourself or get an electrician.

As long as we have AUTOMOTIVE bulbs THIS CANT HAPPEN ;)

They wont get rid of AUTOMOTIVE 12 and 24 V DC coventional filament bulbs, because of requirements for transport.

So for a Do it yourselfer like me, if the AC filament bulbs cease to exist, break out the AC to 12 or 24 V DC converter, and use auto bulbs.

Get yourself the DC adaptor and wire it inside the roof, remove the AC wires from the light socket and run the DC wires thru the ceiling...

You can buy auto bulb holders/sockets from auto parts store or workshop supplier outlet and screw them to the original metal light socket inside most conventional light shades/covers...hidden from sight.

24V truck bulbs work well and are quite bright, if you need more light, add more bulb holders and bulbs.

Fuck TBTB, they gonna ban auto bulbs too :p

Are you going to ban cars and trucks too Mr Malcolm TURNsBULLshit.

Bet those clowns didnt see that one coming, im telling everyone :D

Easy fixed.
.
__________________
"98% of us will die at some point in our lives" - Will Ferrell - Talladega Nights

griswald

16-03-2009, 01:32 AM

Dangers associated with energy saving lightbulbs,

http://www.emfsolutions.ca/compact_flourescent_bulbs_are_dangerous.htm

griswald

gilly

16-03-2009, 09:13 AM

I was thinking about this the other day (not being able to buy conventional bulbs) and have come up with an answer, and it works just fine. And cheap...do it yourself or get an electrician.

As long as we have AUTOMOTIVE bulbs THIS CANT HAPPEN ;)

They wont get rid of AUTOMOTIVE 12 and 24 V DC coventional filament bulbs, because of requirements for transport.

So for a Do it yourselfer like me, if the AC filament bulbs cease to exist, break out the AC to 12 or 24 V DC converter, and use auto bulbs.

Get yourself the DC adaptor and wire it inside the roof, remove the AC wires from the light socket and run the DC wires thru the ceiling...

You can buy auto bulb holders/sockets from auto parts store or workshop supplier outlet and screw them to the original metal light socket inside most conventional light shades/covers...hidden from sight.

24V truck bulbs work well and are quite bright, if you need more light, add more bulb holders and bulbs.

Fuck TBTB, they gonna ban auto bulbs too :p

Are you going to ban cars and trucks too Mr Malcolm TURNsBULLshit.

Bet those clowns didnt see that one coming, im telling everyone :D

Easy fixed.
.
__________________
"98% of us will die at some point in our lives" - Will Ferrell - Talladega Nights

Good thinking! I might go with candle-light, as it's quite flattering.

ownoiz

31-03-2009, 11:26 AM

Heres an idea for a new product...a screw in adaptor that screws to a conventional AC lightbulb socket...has an inbuilt AC to 24V DC transformer and then a fitting to accept one or more conventional 24V DC filament globe...

If they can cram starters and all that crap into a mercury energy saver then the above idea should also be plausible and take the place of any light bulb.

Whoever makes that can market it to conspiracy theorists or anyone else who knows mercury is a poison...:D

Examples of AC to DC are notebook/laptop power supplies and cell phone chargers...

I had a mercury light bulb in an outside shed and it didnt last very long...when it failed and i attempt to switch it on..it could see a small flicker but it would not light (or ignite or whatever they do) i guess that means the electricals and starter was working but the Mercury had leaked out??...not that i am suprised...
.
__________________
"98% of us will die at some point in our lives" - Will Ferrell - Talladega Nights

anthony65

31-03-2009, 11:45 AM

From the article...

Dr Michelle Bloor, of Ports mouth University, said: “If thousands of CFL bulbs were sent to landfill this could pose a problem. Mercury could leak and get into the food chain.

“Mercury cannot escape from an intact lamp. But people must try to avoid contact with it if they do break one.

“The problem is that many councils do not know the correct guidelines for disposing of the lamps. Only six out of 17 we spoke to knew the rules.”

Gerrard Fisher, of recycling group Wrap, said: “Mercury is a dangerous material. Consumers have to be careful.”

Thousands?

Hundreds of thousands? Millions?

Mercury cannot escape from an intact lamp.

So if the bulbs don't break when they are tipped into the landfill then it will be okay... :rolleyes:

ownoiz

31-03-2009, 12:04 PM

From the article...

Dr Michelle Bloor, of Ports mouth University, said:

“Mercury cannot escape from an intact lamp"

Says them...

At least we can be sure that mercury cant escape from a filament globe or a candle :p

.
__________________
"98% of us will die at some point in our lives" - Will Ferrell - Talladega Nights

belial

31-03-2009, 12:06 PM

In life, there is ALWAYS a scam:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1111560/Labour-peer-set-make-fortune-eco-bulbs-2-4m-shares-Britains-biggest-lamp-recycler.html

Fuck the mercury 'energy saving lightbulbs'...

Use candles instead... or light a bonfire in your back-yard.

Job done.

gilly

31-03-2009, 12:19 PM

belial

31-03-2009, 01:06 PM

'kin'ell!

I'm emailing that link to a few places. What a bleeding disgrace!

;)

kriss_crow

31-03-2009, 01:09 PM

Full spectrum bulbs seems to be the solution.The spectrum is that of bright sunlight at midday I've got them everywhere. At first they seem to give off a ghostly white light but you soon get used to them
Much better than the yellowing slow bulbs

they - full spectrum bulbs - look very same to me...do they not emite radio waves? Are they safer somehow to enviroment?
do not think so...
I will stick to my candles and one old fassion bulb.