Mercury in Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs)

[Guest]

I have known this for years the mercury makes it easier for the high voltage to conduct in the tube, it would be easy for manufacturers to make CFL's or tubes that lasted much longer they dont want to do that because they want to sell you another. corporate greed is the name of the game.

 

[theFLINTSTONERS]

I know on the box that my Metal Halide came in stated that it contained mercury and to dispose of properly. That's all I know on the subject, but thought I should add my 2 cents worth.

Great thread! - I never knew there was mercury in flourecents, pretty silly eh? I am glad I know this now. Thanks!

TGT

hiya TGT!

glad you got something from the thread . . . and we appreciate your contribution as well . . .

the thread wasn't especially well thought out before we started it . . . we knew there was a message we wanted to send . . . but didn't necessarily have as clear a vision of where to take it then . . . as we might have today . . .

regardless . . . it's getting it's point across and growing thanks to the community . . .

we appreciate all who have posted and contributed here . . .

 

[Suby]

Being an organic grower and having that frame of mind, because IMHO it is as much about what you put in your soil as it is making the right choices for mother earth, means alot of choices we make need a balancing of pro's and con's.

There are some companies right now researching the recycling of CFL's with good sucess, the real question is will people take the time to recycle them.

Here is a paradox of efficienty vs need, standar bulbs lose most their efficienty in the form of heat, well living in Canada we need tht heat, bulb heat is a valued form of energy 6 months of the year out here.
In short the extra energy we need to heat to make up for what the lights in our home no longer produce makes using CFL's a six on one side half dozen on the other scenario.

Now if you live in say California and you air condition several months of the year then CFL's will tip the energy conservation tide WAY in your favor.

Suby

 

[BurnOne]

Back in the mid-80's we used to relamp entire factories every year. We threw hundreds of used tubes into the dumpsters. Then, they went into the landfill. Most of the high end manufacturing companies just replaced all their lamps once a year instead of replacing a few when they went out. Cheaper labor costs.

We had no idea.

Burn1

 

[sleepyrz]

For crying out loud- look at the typical thermostat on the wall-- has a glass bulb with up to 2 grams of mercury. Compare that to the 4 milligrams in a CFL. Additionally-- the mercury in a CFL is adhered to the phosphor and glass and electrodes and is not free. the risk of infection from a cut from the broken galss is orders of magnitude greater risk than is the potential harm from the mercury. And in aticipation of those who wish to mock the environmental friendly crowd over the subject- The highest source of mercury in our air comes from burning fossil fuels such as coal, the most common fuel used in the U.S. to produce electricity. A CFL uses 75% less energy than an incandescent light bulb and lasts at least 6 times longer. A power plant will emit 10mg of mercury to produce the electricity to run an incandescent bulb compared to only 2.4mg of mercury to run a CFL for the same time.
So take the 2.4 grams add another .4 grams in the CFL and they still result in significantly less mercury in the environment as comared to using an incadescent. I dont give a rats ass about CO2 emmissions, but I switched to nearly all CFL in my home simply due to money. Knocked my bill down about $30/month -- which neatly off sets the cost of one 1,000 W HPS ballast.

Common Sources of Mercury

Adhesives
Agricultural chemicals
Air conditioner filters
Alchemy
Alloys
Alum hematoxylin
Amalgam
Anatomical preservative
Antifouling paints
Anti-mildew paints
Antinuclear antibody buffer
Antiparasitic powder
Antique red
Antiseptic
Aqueous red mercury blister (mercuric iodide)
Arsenic-calcium reagent 260 ppm
Atomic shields
Auto exhaust
Barometers
Batteries
Alkaline
Nickel Cadmium
Mercuric oxide
Bilge pump
Bilirubin blue lamp
Bleached flour
Blood Bank Saline
Blood gas analyzer
Bronzing
Bougie Tube (used in medical procedures for esphageal dilation)
Bow stabilizer (archery)
Bubble/trap (laboratory use)
B5 Fixative
Cajal's
Calomel
Camco
Canter tubes
Carbol-Fuchin Gram Stain (laboratory use)
Carbol Gentian Violet Stain (laboratory use)
Cardiac catherization syringe
Carnoy-Lebrun fixative
Catalysts
Cathode tubes
Caustic soda
CA125 test
Centifuges
Cesium internal Std
Clostridium difficile EIA
Channing's solution
Chemical reagent
Child immunization shots
China
Chinese medicine
Cinnabar
Circuitry
printed circuit board mount
8/11 pin mount
Mounted control
Cleaning Solvents
Ajax Powder
Comet Cleaner
Lysol Direct
Soft Scrub
Alconox Soap
Derma Scrub
Dove Soap
Ivory Dishwashing
Liquid Joy Dishwashing
Liquid Murphy's Oil Soap
Soft Dish soap
Cidex
Coal
Coal fired power plants
Cold cathode lamp
Colorimetric chloride analysis
Commercial cleaning bleach
Commercial cleaning detergent
Commercial cleaning scouring powder
Commercial cleaning soap
Cosmetics
CPK Reagent 2.7ppm
Crystalloid
Dairy barn manometers (tube type)
DC watt hour meters (discontinued)
Dental amalgams: mercury content
Dental amalgam capsules
Dental amalgam sewage
Dental amalgam waste water
Depolarizer (batteries)
Developers
Diffussion pump (laboratory/educational use)
Dip-a-way (merbromin) aquarium systems
Diptheria vaccine
Disinfectant
Displacement/plunger relay
Drinking water (tap/well)
Drugs and Vaccines: mercury content
DC watt hour meters
Dyes
Electric relays
Electric switches
Electrolysis (cathode)
Electronics
Electron microscope
Electroplating aluminum
Embalming
Engraving
Epstein Barr Virus Buffer
ESA Model 3010B Lead Analyzer Electrode
Esophageal dilators
Etch-a-sketch
Excitatrons
Exhaust fumes
Explosives
Eye area cosmetics up to 65 ppm
Fabric softeners
Feeding Tubes
Felt
Fertilizers
Finger print powder
Fish: mercury content
Fixatives
Flame sensor
safety valve
stainless steel bulb
capillary tube
bellows/control device
standing pilot
electronic Ignition pilot
ovens
ranges
commercial griddle
unit heaters
industrial oven
furnaces
infrared heaters
cycle pilot devices
Flooring - Gymnasium Flooring installed during the early 1970's contained a mercury catalyst and other rubber tracks and sports surfaces (3M Tartan Track).
Floor waxes
Flow meters
Flu shots: mercury content
Fluorescent lights
General purpose
U-bent
Circuline
Compact
High output
Bilirubin blue
Blacklight
Bug zapper
FTA buffer
Fuel cells
Fume exhaust ventilation hoods
Fungicides
Mildewcide
Latex paint
Outdoor fabric treatment
Marine anti-fouling paint pre 1970
Furs
Gas meter pressure device
Gel electrophoresis
General purpose lamp
Germicidal lamps
Hot cathode
Cold cathode
Slimline
Giardia EIA
Gilding
Glue
Gold mining
Golgi's
Gomori's
Gram iodine stain
Group A Strep ID
Gun powder
Gyroscopes
Haemophilus vaccine
Hair tonics
Hardening processes
Harris hematoxylin
Haymen diluting fluid
Headlights xenon-mercury-halide
Heavy metals
Hellys fixative
Hepatitis vaccine
Hepatitis B core (test)
Hepatitis C (test)
Hepatitis B (test)
Hepatitis B Ag & Ab (test)
Herpes EIA Buffer
High intensity discharge lamps
High output lamp
High pressure sodium lamps
Histology
Histology stains
Hitachi chem analyzer
HIV (test)
Homeopathics 17 compounds
Hot cathode lamp
Hydrometers
Hydroxyl phenol
Ignitrons
Industrial Boilers
Iodine stain
Influenza vaccine
Insecticides
Intensifier in photography
Inverters
Jewelry (reported from Mexico)
Lamps (mercury arc)
Latex Paint
Laxatives
L A Gear "My Lil Lights" pre 1994 shoes
Lead analyzer electrode
Lighthouse lamp bearing
Lithium (test)
Lyme buffer
Manometers
Mascara
Medical analytical instruments
Medical auto analyzers
Medical waste incinerators
Merbromin used in plastic surgery
Mercuric chloride peritoneal lavage in cancer surgery
Mercurochrome
Mercury ammonium chloride
Mercury arc
Mercury barometer
Mercury bromide
Mercury chloride
Mercury fluoride
Mercury fulminate
Mercury iodide
Mercury hydride
Mercury nitrate
Mercury oxide
Mercury sulfide
Mercury selenide
Mercury telluride
Mercury vapor ultraviolet spectral lamp
Metal halide lamps
Metalloid
Metamorphic
Metexchange reagent
Methiolate
Methylmercury hydroxide
Miller Abbott Tubes
Milton's reagent
Mucolex
Municipal Waste Combustors
Nasal Spray
Neon lamps (except red, orange, pink)
Nessler's reagent
Nitrogen-ammonia
Nuclear coolants
Ohlamacher fixative
Ophthalmic products (preservative)
Optic sensors
Oscifactors
Oscillators
Paint indoors before 1990
Paint outdoors before 1991
Parasitology trichrome stain
Pastes
Pertussis vaccine
Pesticides (food use pre 1995)
Ph buffers
Phanotron
Pharmaceutical preservatives
Phenylmercuric acetate
Phenylmercuric nitrate
Photoprocessing solutions
Pigments
Reds
Oranges
Cadmium
Automobile
Auto parts
Vinyl
ABS
Polycarbonate
Cadmium sulfide based pigments
Catalysts, urethane and vinyl
Polymer curing
Acetylene Production
Production of vinyl from acetylene
Anthraquinone production
Battery electrode
Battery anti-gassing
Pipes
Dental Office
Laboratory
Schools
Deposits at the bottom, low spots or tillage. Examine mud deposits. Cutting pipes will vaporize mercury
Plastics
Plants
Plumbing-piping
Pharmaceuticals
Phenylmercuric acetate (latex paint)
Polishes
Pollution
Porcelain
Potions
Precision reagent 24ppm
Pregnancy kit preservative
Preservatives
Printing
Processed foods
Progesterone
Protein precipitation
Protein test
Pulp
Pyrometers
Quackery
Quicksilver
Quicksilver Maze (toy)
Rabies vaccine
Radar
Radio
Radiometer gas analyzer reference electrode
Rectifiers
Rubber flooring with mercury compounds
RX ICK control (merbromin)
Seed dressings
Semiconductors
Mercury-cadmium telluride
Infrared sensors
Satellite users
Photovoltaic
Photoconductive-primary
Salinity
Shardin fixative
Shooting galleries
Silvering mirrors
Skin bleaching creams
Slimicides
Slimline lamp
Sodium hydroxide
Sodium/Potassium
Solvents
Spectral lamps, monochromatic light
Sphygmomanometers
Stabilur tablets
Sucrose buffer preservative
Sulfuric acid (commercial)
Switches, relays, sensors
Displacement
Plunger relays
1 to 4 poles
NO
NC
Voltage ratings
Current ratings
High current
High voltage
Applications
Resistance heating
Welding
Lighting
Tungsten
Power supply switching
Resisance heating
Welding
Industrial process controllers
Street lighting
Mercury to steel contact
Mercury to mercury contact
Wetted reed relays
wetted reed switch
Telcommunications
Tilt switches
Pressure control
Fluid level control
Airflow/fan limit control
Pneumatic tube communications systems
Man down alarms
Swimming pool alarms
Safety shut off
Steam irons (not one hour timer)
Electric space heaters (pre 1995)
Outboard motors
Limit switches
Automobile hood
Automobile trunk
Automobile vanity mirror
Glove box
Emergency brake lights
Automatic roll bar
Automatic leveling suspension
Tilt security systems
Wall switches
Commercial popcorn poppers
Film editing equipement
Greenhouse Louver devices
Washing machine lids (old)
Chest freezer lid
Remote utility meter reading device
Security systems
Automobile
Computer lockdowns
Alarm switch
Anti tamper device
Gas meters
Pay Phones
Car washes
Ice fishing tip-up lights
Fishing lure
Lawn tractor
Electric organs
Fire alarm box
Aircraft level sensor
Defense applications
Laptop screen shutoff
Portable phone switch
Camera still, video, film sensor
Magnetically operated switches
Proximity sensors
G-sensors
Automobile ABS 4WD sensors
Air bag sensors
Auto seat belt
Takata's reagent
Talcom Powder
Tanning Leather
Tattoo pigments
Telescope mirror
Tetanus vaccine
Thermometers
ASTM and Laboratory
Cup case
Tapered bulb
Sling psychrometer
Mason's hygrometer
Oven
Candy
deep fry
Weather
Minimum/maximum
Maximum registering
Fever
Clerget sugar test
blood bank
incubator
water bath
dairy
Thermoregulators
Thermostats
gas oven pre 1970
Thimerosal in US Licensed Vaccines
Thyroid antibodies buffer
Thyratron
Tincture of merthiolate
Tissue fixatives, pathology
Tissue stains
Total Kjeldahl nitrogen
Turbo alternators
Udder wash (thimerosal) discontinued
Urinalysis Stabilur tablets
Vaccines: Thimerosal in US Licensed Vaccines
1:10,000 Leptospirosis bacterium, cattle, swine, dogs
Vapor lamps
Vermicides
Waste water treatment plant pivot bearing arm
Water pollution
Water treatment chemicals
Weight/counterweigh in grandfather clocks
Welding
Wood Preservatives
Wound Control (merbromin) aquarium
Zenkers solution fixative

yer gonna die one day its not gonna be from the cfl

 

[S-2]

More on this subject here: http://www.gardenscure.com/420/tiki-lounge/102199-light-bulb-lunacy.html#post954015

 

[pontiac]

Heres some good info from GE:

What should I do if I break a fluorescent bulb?

Puncture resistant gloves are recommended for cleaning up broken glass. After picking up all large fragments, wipe area thoroughly to clean any remaining glass or phosphor residue. If necessary, ventilate area to remove any remaining fine phosphor dust. After handling broken lamps, wash hands and face thoroughly. Incidental exposure to lamp contents is not harmful. The basic phosphor used in the manufacture of fluorescent lamps is a relatively inert phosphate. The small amount of mercury contained in each lamp will not cause any significant amount of airborne mercury, since most of the elemental mercury remains adhered to the phosphor surface. No adverse health effects are expected from exposure to a broken fluorescent tube.

 

[theFLINTSTONERS]

For crying out loud- look at the typical thermostat on the wall-- has a glass bulb with up to 2 grams of mercury. Compare that to the 4 milligrams in a CFL. Additionally-- the mercury in a CFL is adhered to the phosphor and glass and electrodes and is not free. the risk of infection from a cut from the broken galss is orders of magnitude greater risk than is the potential harm from the mercury. And in aticipation of those who wish to mock the environmental friendly crowd over the subject- The highest source of mercury in our air comes from burning fossil fuels such as coal, the most common fuel used in the U.S. to produce electricity. A CFL uses 75% less energy than an incandescent light bulb and lasts at least 6 times longer. A power plant will emit 10mg of mercury to produce the electricity to run an incandescent bulb compared to only 2.4mg of mercury to run a CFL for the same time.
So take the 2.4 grams add another .4 grams in the CFL and they still result in significantly less mercury in the environment as comared to using an incadescent. I dont give a rats ass about CO2 emmissions, but I switched to nearly all CFL in my home simply due to money. Knocked my bill down about $30/month -- which neatly off sets the cost of one 1,000 W HPS ballast.

. . .

yer gonna die one day its not gonna be from the cfl

hiya!

we are well aware that there are many other household sources of Mercury that are significantly greater hazards than fluorescent light bulbs . . . and we are also aware that standard incandescent bulbs actually cause the release of MORE Mercury into the environment because of the additional power required to operate them . . .

however none of that means folks should simply ignore the Mercury that is present in CFL's and other fluorescent lights . . . this thread isn't about scaring people or causing a panic that CFL's are "bad" . . .

it's simply about awareness

 

[SEEDYNONO]

Wal-Mart to reduce mercury in CFLs
Agreement by suppliers reflects a little-known downside to light bulbs

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17831334/

wal mart to the rescue