Energy efficient light bulbs

Question

how many of you know that there is mercury inside them?

i just learned that, and mercury causes brain damage

so if you were to break one, you could get brain damage for trying to help the environment

Answer 1

Mercury is bad, but even not broken these bulbs can be dangerous.

How many of you knew THAT?

I know someone who started having seizures after installing this kind of lightbulb above their work desk at home.  They took it away and stopped having the seizures.

I'm glad I never started using them...

Answer 2

My husband tried using some in his photo studio.  The light was crappy, it was bright at first, but dulled in about a month.

He tried to find out how to dispose of them (due to the mercury, you can't just throw them away!)  and NO ONE could give him an answer.

Then, one broke on the floor.  He was told by the 'powers that be' that the ONLY way to clean up the problem was to cut out a section of the carpet!  You cannot vacuum it up, but then they couldn't tell him what to do with the bad piece of carpet because you can't throw that away either!

In my opinion, these "energy saving," "green," "earth friendly" light bulbs are the biggest hoax ever, next to the "humans caused Global Warming" B.S.!

Answer 3

the CF bulbs are the same as fluorescent bulbs that have been used for decades.

may i suggest that, if you break one, you not l**k it up.

past that, you ought to be safe.

Answer 4

Hey...did you also know that your watch battery has mercury in it as well...more than that of the regular CFL bulb! (One CFL bulb has approx. 5 milligrams of mercury, whereas a watch battery has 25 milligrams).

And...think of all the mercury being released from coal-fired plants. Think: if you use a regular incandescent lighbulb, imagine how much mercury is being released in the air. Sure, youre not in direct contact with it, but considering the air you breathe and the toxins that you inhale, i would be more concerned with that than using CFLs.

So, if youre gonna stick to your incandescents, then id suggest you stop wearing watches as well!!

Answer 5

We have had mercury in fluorescent bulbs for as long as I can remember. I've worked in many warehouses and often the person who changed the fluorescent tubes would purposefully break them. I've never heard of anyone getting mercury poisoning from a bulb. I think their is a greater risk of mercury poisoning by eating tuna.

Answer 6

All fluorescent bulbs have a small drop of mercury that vaporizes, and inhaling the vapor from a broken bulb exposes one to a potential for cancer - the result of mercury exposure.  Since they all contain mercury, disposing of them becomes a Hazmat situation!

Answer 7

Yes, CFL's have mercury in them and regular lightbulbs don't.

But regular light bulbs use MUCH more energy, which results in much more coal being burned, which puts a whole lot of mercury into the environment.    Your CFL actually reduces the amount of mercury the environment, even when you take the mercury inside the bulb into account.

Here are a couple of links describing how to recycle your CFLs and how to clean up the glass if you break one.

I assumed you were looking for a real answer.  If not, then please change my answer to "Those irresponsible environmentalists!  How dare they contaminate my house with toxic mercury under the guise of saving energy!  I refuse to save one iota of energy until they come up with a perfect technology."

Answer 8

the regular light bulbs (incandesant) have alot more mercury in them. and the cfl light bulbs have alot less, butt if you break any of the two, you should open all the windows and doors and leave the house