genethehat

Here in the Veterans home they want to get rid of bar soap it might contamant us. No wonder we "hate goverment "do-gooders"

RobertMaxey

Clarify please. When you say they are linked to cancer do you mean the broken bulb and the mercury within or a working bulb is giving off something dangerous?

If the bulbs are sealed (and they must be) anything inside cannot escape. That is to say, the mercury and whatever coatings added to the glass.

The problem is the mercury. When you break one, that mercury gets into your personal environment and it is near impossible to get rid of. The droplets can be quite small and they work into and under your carpet and then the wood. Once there, you have a constant exposure to the metal.

Also, according to laws in many states, you cannot dispose of one in the trash due to its metal content. Also, you might be required by law to have the broken bulb cleaned up by a qualified Haz-Mat company.

With the big stink over poisons in the environment, I am quite amazed that anyone would suggest these lamps are a good idea. They can place more mercury in the environment. And they are slow to start.

I suggest using LED lamps. They last a very long time and they are very safe.

wschubert Loc: Clarkston Washington

Well its not such great news. They waited so long to do something about this that most manufacturer and retailers already changed over. Its going to be harder and harder to find regular bulbs.

RobertMaxey

I felt the same way when 5Bs went away. A 5B is a big honking flashbulb from Sylvenia.

I do hope professional photographers can still use flash powder. Can we? Smiley.

rayford2 Loc: New Bethlehem, PA

You probably have to fill out a 5 page form and buy a permit from the Federal and State EPA's to do it.
The governments have very expensive ways to discourage you from doing things they don't approve of...It's called job security.

rayford2 Loc: New Bethlehem, PA

Government facilities are usually the first ones to suffer stupid regulation.

phcaan Loc: Willow Springs, MO

[quote=MisterWilson]Remember how some politicians wanted to ban the use of most regular light bulbs?

Well, the new rules have been set aside for now. I'm glad. I don't need to stock up on 100 watt bulbs any more. At least I hope the factories will still make them.

I read that in Europe where the ban is in place some enterprising young men got around the ban by selling incandescent bulbs as specialized "heating elements".

artlover Loc: NM

There is mercury in those curly ones. Be careful they don't fall
and break. Almost like a "hasmat" incident.
:thumbdown:

RobertMaxey

Here in Utah, it is a big deal. Lots of rules. I think most people are safe, but if you have a retail shop or worse, a restaurant and you break one, you might need to evacuate the building and call a Hazmat team. This will depend on your local laws, I suppose. I hope owners are made exempt from any fallout.

You might want to have a bunch of costly tests done when you buy your next house. They test for Meth, perhaps they will need to test for mercury contamination.

Especially when the late night TV commercials start saying, "Were you recently the victim of a lightbulb shattering? Thousands of people are damaged every year from the mercury in those bulbs. Your children are at risk of growing gills and flippers; incontinence, Large Foot Disorder and premature balding. Well, we, the law firm of 'We, Screwem, and Howe' can get you the millions you deserve. Call now, before your kids are completely bald . . ."

What is interesting to me, is not too long ago, ALL mercury was bad and ALL products containing mercury had to go. Now, suddenly, mercury is acceptable in the "small quantities" contained in a typical bulb. Edisons and their variants must go because of largely unproven dangers only to be replaced by bulbs with a proven danger associated with them.

It is like banning a transfat manufacturer and then allowing a bio-toxin manufacturer to take over the space.

Some people forget that it is not just one or two bulbs, it is the millions that will (or perhaps would) fill our landfills. In thirty or forty years, I can (well, not me, I'll be joyfully DEAD) see the lawsuits and government bailouts. Then they will probably suggest U235 powered bulbs.

I say if you are worried, go with an Edison base LED assembly. Long life, festive colors, and the planet will survive. For me, it is old school light bulbs all the way.

steve40 Loc: Asheville/Canton, NC, USA

According to the Surgeon General, "Being Born Causes Death". :shock: What to do, what to do. :cry:

rayford2 Loc: New Bethlehem, PA

[quote=phcaan]

I heard a rumor that if the 100 watt bulb regulation took effect G.E. was ready to introduce a 95 watt bulb to replace it...yes, I said rumor.

RobertMaxey

[quote=rayford2]

Was it about wattage or was it about about the environmental "damage" these bulbs cause?

rayford2 Loc: New Bethlehem, PA

[quote=RobertMaxey]

The government wants you to save electricity.
The old bulbs don't have a toxic issue if they break, the new ones do,

phcaan Loc: Willow Springs, MO

[quote=rayford2]

It is about CONTROL. Our government wants the power to tell us how to live our lives, they are into anything that gives them power.

KarlMan

Here in Maine, most hardware stores will dispose of ANY florescent bulbs you have. In an article in Scientific American by John Matson on April 10, 2008, “As effective as it is at enabling white light, however, mercury—sometimes called quicksilver—is also highly toxic. It is especially harmful to the brains of both fetuses and children. That's why officials have curtailed or banned its use in applications from thermometers to automotive and thermostat switches. (A single thermostat switch, still common in many homes, may contain 3,000 milligrams (0.1 ounce) of mercury, or as much as 600 compact fluorescents.)”
Check out the article at http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=are-compact-fluorescent-lightbulbs-dangerous. It also describes how to do a clean-up.