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Are earth friendly light bulbs really toxic?

blondieblue227blondieblue227 Posts: 4,509
edited February 2008 in All Encompassing Trip
Is this true?
Just something I heard.
Toxic when in landfill.
*~Pearl Jam will be blasted from speakers until morale improves~*

Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • RygarRygar Posts: 8,685
    I don't think I've ever heard of an earth-friendly light bulb...

    If you mean the coiled energy saving type, I think they're designed to use less energy and last a long longer. I doubt they're any better when it comes to disposal. They also (mostly) use blue light which is duller and is hypothesized to make people depressed, they are switching I believe.
  • transplanttransplant Posts: 1,088
    yes, they contain mercury.
  • blondieblue227blondieblue227 Posts: 4,509
    sorry, yes i meant the energy saving type bulb.

    so both type of bulbs contain mercury. the same amount of mercury?
    *~Pearl Jam will be blasted from speakers until morale improves~*

  • roarroar Posts: 1,116
    You're talking about CFLs. The mercury hazard happens when they break. Gotta take the used ones to a hazardous-waste facility. Fortunately, they last about ten times longer...so you won't have to do this as often as you'd be throwing out regular lightbulbs.

    http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7431198
  • GreenTeaDiseaseGreenTeaDisease Posts: 3,359
    yeah they should not go in a landfill (though I'm sure plenty of them are).
  • blondieblue227blondieblue227 Posts: 4,509
    ok that makes sense. Thanks.
    So the coil bulbs last longer and save energy, but you must take them to a special disposal facility.
    *~Pearl Jam will be blasted from speakers until morale improves~*

  • GreenTeaDiseaseGreenTeaDisease Posts: 3,359
    blondieblue227 wrote:
    ok that makes sense. Thanks.
    So the coil bulbs last longer and save energy, but you must take them to a special disposal facility.

    yes they are "compact fluorescent" bulbs. they really save quite a bit of energy. (but be warned, they don't fit in all lamps, physically. most but not all.) It is worth it if you dispose of them properly. they take a long time to light up- you turn on the light and it's dim for a few minutes before it gets to full brightness.
  • tybirdtybird Posts: 17,388
    blondieblue227 wrote:
    ok that makes sense. Thanks.
    So the coil bulbs last longer and save energy, but you must take them to a special disposal facility.
    You got it...in a nutshell.
    All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a thousand enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed.
  • panthergirlpanthergirl Posts: 469
    it must depend on the temperature in the room because here (south fla) they light up within 1 second.

    i think they're great... i've noticed a decrease in my electric bill...
    however, with all we see about them in tv and stuff, the fact that definitely should not be thrown into the trash is rarely mentioned.
    it is printed on the package in small print.. but it;s really easy to disregard that info.

    i imagine in a few years when they start burning out and ignorant people start throwing them away and they end up in landfills... we're gonna have a new problem on our hands: severely contaminated water :(
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  • blondieblue227blondieblue227 Posts: 4,509
    panthergirl wrote:
    i imagine in a few years when they start burning out and ignorant people start throwing them away and they end up in landfills... we're gonna have a new problem on our hands: severely contaminated water :(

    exactlly.
    so are those bulbs really helping at all?
    :(
    *~Pearl Jam will be blasted from speakers until morale improves~*

  • Heineken HelenHeineken Helen Posts: 18,095
    transplant wrote:
    yes, they contain mercury.
    If you break one, open all windows and doors and get out of there for a while... when you come back in, spray some water and when it dries sweep it up and put it in a plastic bag.
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  • GreenTeaDiseaseGreenTeaDisease Posts: 3,359
    blondieblue227 wrote:
    exactlly.
    so are those bulbs really helping at all?
    :(

    well yes, they do help. if people are responsible enough to buy them, we just have to hope they're responsible enough to throw them away properly.
  • tybirdtybird Posts: 17,388
    panthergirl wrote:
    it must depend on the temperature in the room because here (south fla) they light up within 1 second.
    You're right...temp does affect fluorescent bulbs of all sizes and shapes.
    All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a thousand enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed.
  • PearlJamaholicPearlJamaholic Posts: 2,018
    anyone know why they dont work with dimmer switches?
    http://db.etree.org/PearlJamaholic
  • tybirdtybird Posts: 17,388
    PearlJamaholic wrote:
    anyone know why they dont work with dimmer switches?
    Because they don't have filaments.
    All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a thousand enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed.
  • polarispolaris Posts: 3,527
    buy LED lights - you'll be packing them up with your moves ...
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