Comments on: New Lightbulbs for a Better World, But What about the Mercury Content? http://www.justachemblog.net/new-lightbulbs-for-a-better-world-but-what-about-the-mercury-content/ notes, thoughts, and a little (science) culture while teaching chemistry Fri, 25 Dec 2009 04:19:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: pweibel http://www.justachemblog.net/new-lightbulbs-for-a-better-world-but-what-about-the-mercury-content/comment-page-1/#comment-112 pweibel Sun, 30 Nov 2008 05:11:49 +0000 http://www.justachemblog.net/?p=516#comment-112 As Jon said, a little bit of research shows that CFL's actually reduce overall mercury pollution. However, it should be important to note than there are safe ways to dispose of CFL's that don't pollute the air with Mercury, people just don't realize they need to do this: like with batteries. Also, you should all start putting your CFL's away, and start buying LED light bulbs, which are ridiculously more efficient, and if my knowledge of LED's is true, they will last longer. Here is a link to someone who sells them: http://www.ccrane.com/lights/led-light-bulbs/index.aspx As you'll see they are pretty expensive compared to traditional light bulbs. But when they only take 2 W of power... As Jon said, a little bit of research shows that CFL’s actually reduce overall mercury pollution. However, it should be important to note than there are safe ways to dispose of CFL’s that don’t pollute the air with Mercury, people just don’t realize they need to do this: like with batteries. Also, you should all start putting your CFL’s away, and start buying LED light bulbs, which are ridiculously more efficient, and if my knowledge of LED’s is true, they will last longer. Here is a link to someone who sells them:
http://www.ccrane.com/lights/led-light-bulbs/index.aspx
As you’ll see they are pretty expensive compared to traditional light bulbs. But when they only take 2 W of power…

]]> By: csimmons http://www.justachemblog.net/new-lightbulbs-for-a-better-world-but-what-about-the-mercury-content/comment-page-1/#comment-111 csimmons Sun, 30 Nov 2008 02:07:26 +0000 http://www.justachemblog.net/?p=516#comment-111 Alright, and with ventilation? Who in their right mind would leave the room closed up? Also, this test was probably done with no attempt at cleaning up the spill. Again, if it's cleaned up as much as possible and then aired out it should be fine. I'm not saying that we shouldn't care that there is Hg in the bulbs, it'll be great if they can minimize the amount as much as possible, but the amount present now isn't as dangerous as some people might make it out to be. Alright, and with ventilation? Who in their right mind would leave the room closed up? Also, this test was probably done with no attempt at cleaning up the spill. Again, if it’s cleaned up as much as possible and then aired out it should be fine. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t care that there is Hg in the bulbs, it’ll be great if they can minimize the amount as much as possible, but the amount present now isn’t as dangerous as some people might make it out to be.

]]> By: mhickey http://www.justachemblog.net/new-lightbulbs-for-a-better-world-but-what-about-the-mercury-content/comment-page-1/#comment-110 mhickey Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:43:09 +0000 http://www.justachemblog.net/?p=516#comment-110 Sorry, some characters in my above comment did not come through correctly when I copy and pasted the quote. “As an illustration of the effects of CFL breakage, the release of only 1 mg of Hg vapor (~20% of the Hg inventory in a single CFL) into a 500 m3 room (10 × 10 × 5m) yields 2.0 ?g/m3 or ten times the ATSDR-recommended level of 0.2 ?g/m3 in the absence of ventilation”. http://pubs.acs.org.ps2.villanova.edu/doi/full/10.1021/es8004392?prevSearch=CFL&searchHistoryKey= *The remaining "?'s" stand for micro. Sorry, some characters in my above comment did not come through correctly when I copy and pasted the quote.

“As an illustration of the effects of CFL breakage, the release of only 1 mg of Hg vapor (~20% of the Hg inventory in a single CFL) into a 500 m3 room (10 × 10 × 5m) yields 2.0 ?g/m3 or ten times the ATSDR-recommended level of 0.2 ?g/m3 in the absence of ventilation”.

http://pubs.acs.org.ps2.villanova.edu/doi/full/10.1021/es8004392?prevSearch=CFL&searchHistoryKey=

*The remaining “?’s” stand for micro.

]]> By: mhickey http://www.justachemblog.net/new-lightbulbs-for-a-better-world-but-what-about-the-mercury-content/comment-page-1/#comment-109 mhickey Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:37:35 +0000 http://www.justachemblog.net/?p=516#comment-109 "As an illustration of the effects of CFL breakage, the release of only 1 mg of Hg vapor (?20% of the Hg inventory in a single CFL) into a 500 m3 room (10 × 10 × 5m) yields 2.0 ?g/m3 or ten times the ATSDR-recommended level of 0.2 ?g/m3 in the absence of ventilation". http://pubs.acs.org.ps2.villanova.edu/doi/full/10.1021/es8004392?prevSearch=CFL&searchHistoryKey= “As an illustration of the effects of CFL breakage, the release of only 1 mg of Hg vapor (?20% of the Hg inventory in a single CFL) into a 500 m3 room (10 × 10 × 5m) yields 2.0 ?g/m3 or ten times the ATSDR-recommended level of 0.2 ?g/m3 in the absence of ventilation”.

http://pubs.acs.org.ps2.villanova.edu/doi/full/10.1021/es8004392?prevSearch=CFL&searchHistoryKey=

]]> By: csimmons http://www.justachemblog.net/new-lightbulbs-for-a-better-world-but-what-about-the-mercury-content/comment-page-1/#comment-106 csimmons Sat, 29 Nov 2008 04:55:12 +0000 http://www.justachemblog.net/?p=516#comment-106 I'm pretty sure the lightbulbs come with directions in case a lightbulb does break, but I know that the mercury content is small enough that as long as you don't stick your face in the mercury and just let the room air out for the rest of the day after you clean up what you can, it'll be fine. I’m pretty sure the lightbulbs come with directions in case a lightbulb does break, but I know that the mercury content is small enough that as long as you don’t stick your face in the mercury and just let the room air out for the rest of the day after you clean up what you can, it’ll be fine.

]]> By: jsteves http://www.justachemblog.net/new-lightbulbs-for-a-better-world-but-what-about-the-mercury-content/comment-page-1/#comment-105 jsteves Sat, 29 Nov 2008 04:31:39 +0000 http://www.justachemblog.net/?p=516#comment-105 I knew that the fluorescent lightbulbs were more energy efficient, but I didn't know that they contained mercury! I think that if the amount of mercury contained in these lightbulbs was unsafe (although I'm not sure if any amount of mercury can really be called "safe"), then they wouldn't be on the market. I think Jon's right--due to the mercury content, we need to know how to dispose of the lightbulbs properly. Now I know what to do when my fluorescent bulb on my desklamp finally burns out! :) I knew that the fluorescent lightbulbs were more energy efficient, but I didn’t know that they contained mercury! I think that if the amount of mercury contained in these lightbulbs was unsafe (although I’m not sure if any amount of mercury can really be called “safe”), then they wouldn’t be on the market. I think Jon’s right–due to the mercury content, we need to know how to dispose of the lightbulbs properly. Now I know what to do when my fluorescent bulb on my desklamp finally burns out! :)

]]> By: jaxtell http://www.justachemblog.net/new-lightbulbs-for-a-better-world-but-what-about-the-mercury-content/comment-page-1/#comment-101 jaxtell Thu, 27 Nov 2008 03:44:48 +0000 http://www.justachemblog.net/?p=516#comment-101 A report from National Geographic News says that a switch to CFLs, and the resulting closure of coal-burning plants, will actually reduce mercury pollution. "For environmentalists, the clincher is that by requiring less energy, CFLs will actually cut down on mercury pollution produced by coal burning, and EPA agrees. 'By using less electricity, CFLs help reduce mercury emissions from coal-burning power plants, which are the largest source of human-caused mercury emissions in the United States,' said agency press officer Ernest Jones." This article also gives suggestions for recycling these lightbulbs, which is said to recover 95% of the mercury. I agree with Meghan in that CFLs are a good idea. We just need to be sure to handle them properly. Link: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/05/070518-cfls-bulbs_2.html A report from National Geographic News says that a switch to CFLs, and the resulting closure of coal-burning plants, will actually reduce mercury pollution.

“For environmentalists, the clincher is that by requiring less energy, CFLs will actually cut down on mercury pollution produced by coal burning, and EPA agrees.

‘By using less electricity, CFLs help reduce mercury emissions from coal-burning power plants, which are the largest source of human-caused mercury emissions in the United States,’ said agency press officer Ernest Jones.”

This article also gives suggestions for recycling these lightbulbs, which is said to recover 95% of the mercury. I agree with Meghan in that CFLs are a good idea. We just need to be sure to handle them properly.

Link: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/05/070518-cfls-bulbs_2.html

]]> By: skassel http://www.justachemblog.net/new-lightbulbs-for-a-better-world-but-what-about-the-mercury-content/comment-page-1/#comment-100 skassel Wed, 26 Nov 2008 03:58:29 +0000 http://www.justachemblog.net/?p=516#comment-100 How much mercury is in an average CFL and how does this compare to the amount of background mercury we are exposed to every day? How much mercury is in an average CFL and how does this compare to the amount of background mercury we are exposed to every day?

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