Insidermedicine in 60 - February 27, 2008

[angryadrien]

the CFL recycling program should have been in place long before these bulbs were introducted into the market

[jecwhiz]

also CFL are fire hazards too! Google keyword "impact televideo CFL fires" if you also click on images on google you will see lots of burnt CFL fire fires or smoking. Also google "Whitehorse house CFL fire" which destroyed a family's house. Those CFL would leave people homeless!

[envirotruth]

Mercury are not the only health hazard associated with CFL's...they also emit radio frequency radiation and ultra violet radiation which contribute to "dirty electricity" and adverse health effects. They also can interfer with implanted medical devices such as pacemakers. for more google: Dr. Magda Havas and dirty electricity.

[CleanGreenLight]

Every year in the US, take 12 tons of volatile, highly toxic metal mercury, divide it into millions of tiny fragile packages (CFL bulbs) and distribute them to the general population, without any warning of danger to life.

There is no way that 12 tons of mercury can be recovered at the end of the bulbs life.

The deadly mercury will accumulate in the bones, brain & vital organs of the whole population and their children.

[CleanGreenLight]

The average household has 50 light bulbs, with an average life of 10 years. Each CFL bulb contains 20mg of mercury, so the mercury waste from one household is 1 gram every decade. With a toxic TLV of 25 microgrammes per cubic metre, that is potentially 40,000 cubic metres of toxic mercury vapour.

There are 30 million households in the UK alone, so that represents 30 metric tonnes of mercury released every decade, enough to pollute over 1000 cubic kilometres per decade.

[jayguy173]

when they burn out i put them back in the original case so they dont break before taking them to be recycled

[CaptianKay]

big surprize that they died. when dr.s give u meds its a good idea to take them.

[dashj2]

In Canada, you can return your CFL light bulbs to any Home Depot store to be recycled, and I'm sure the same is true for most hardware stores across North America.

In the frenzy to save energy by using more efficient light bulbs, it seems the importance of proper disposal has become lost in the mix.