Mercury: One of the most neurotoxic substances known to man
From NewsTarget.com
"As consumers rush to adopt energy efficient lighting through the use of Compact Fluorescent Lamps, no one is telling them the truth about the dangerous levels of mercury in these lights. A single fluorescent light contains enough mercury to contaminate 6,000 gallons of fresh water. If you break one in your home, you'll release mercury vapor and require a hazardous materials cleanup that can cost you $2,000 or more. The mercury in fluorescent lights is poisoning landfills and underground water reservoirs all across the country, and the more people keep buying these mercury-containing lights, the more toxic the environment will get.
Today's feature story tells the shocking truth about what consumers aren't being told: There's mercury in compact fluorescent lights, and mercury is one of the most neurotoxic substances known to modern science. Simply breaking a single fluorescent light in your home can expose you and your family to dangerously high levels of this heavy metal that has been linked to autism, Alzheimer's disease, birth defects, learning disabilities, behavioral disorders and accelerated neurological degeneration."
Compact fluorescent light bulbs contaminate the environment with 30,000 pounds of mercury each year
A compact fluorescent light is a type of energy-saving bulb that fits into a standard light bulb socket or plugs into a small lighting fixture, and right now, compact fluorescents seem to be gaining in popularity. But did you know they can also be toxic... Read on.
"As consumers rush to adopt energy efficient lighting through the use of Compact Fluorescent Lamps, no one is telling them the truth about the dangerous levels of mercury in these lights. A single fluorescent light contains enough mercury to contaminate 6,000 gallons of fresh water. If you break one in your home, you'll release mercury vapor and require a hazardous materials cleanup that can cost you $2,000 or more. The mercury in fluorescent lights is poisoning landfills and underground water reservoirs all across the country, and the more people keep buying these mercury-containing lights, the more toxic the environment will get.
Today's feature story tells the shocking truth about what consumers aren't being told: There's mercury in compact fluorescent lights, and mercury is one of the most neurotoxic substances known to modern science. Simply breaking a single fluorescent light in your home can expose you and your family to dangerously high levels of this heavy metal that has been linked to autism, Alzheimer's disease, birth defects, learning disabilities, behavioral disorders and accelerated neurological degeneration."
Compact fluorescent light bulbs contaminate the environment with 30,000 pounds of mercury each year
A compact fluorescent light is a type of energy-saving bulb that fits into a standard light bulb socket or plugs into a small lighting fixture, and right now, compact fluorescents seem to be gaining in popularity. But did you know they can also be toxic... Read on.
posted by HeavyHanded at
5:10 PM
1 Comments:
First, CF bulbs contain far less mercury than in other items in the house: CF bulbs (4 mg), thermometers (500 mg), older thermostats (3,000 mg). Plus, using CF bulbs actually prevents more mercury from being released into the air by power plants. A power plant emits about 10 mg of mercury to produce the electricity needed to run an incandescent bulb, compared to only 2.4 mg of mercury to run a CF bulb for the same amount of time.
There is a proper way to dispose of them without having to pay fines, and without causing risk to your health.
Should a bulb break, take these simple precautions. First, open nearby windows to disperse any vapor that may escape. Sweep up the fragments (do not use your hands) and wipe the area with a disposable paper towel to pick up all glass fragments. Do not use a vacuum. Place all fragments in a sealed plastic bag.
How to dispose of a burned-out or broken bulb: recycling burned-out CFs is the best option. To find out if there are recycling options near you, call 1-800-CLEAN-UP for an automated hotline or visit earth911.org. (At the top of the earth911.org home page, enter your zip code and press "go." Click on the "Household Hazardous Waste" link, then the "fluorescent bulbs" link. This page will identify the nearest mercury recycling or disposal facilities near you. If the page contains no specific information on CFs, go back and click on the link for "Mercury Containing Items.")
Or contact your local government agency in charge of household hazard waste (start with your sanitation department) to see if recycling is an option in your area.
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