General Chat

Did anyone hear the report on the news this morning?

I am very surprised.


Janey

No what did the report say? I converted most of my house last year and am not overly impressed - I appear to have more lights on than I would otherwise to get enough light and my downstairs loo light is on all through the day or it dosent light up quick enough when you want to spend a penny!

Morning Angel. I didn't hear the report what did it say?

Hi Janey,
I haven't heard, but have these bulbs... what do we need to know? Is it bad?

Tina x

They cause small amounts of mercury so if smashed pose a very small risk. Here's the transcript of the BBC report:

Low-energy bulbs contain a small amount of mercury
Disposing bulbs safely
The Environment Agency has called for more information to be made available on the health and environmental risks posed by low-energy light bulbs.
It says because the bulbs contain small amounts of mercury, more information about safe recycling is needed.

It also wants health warnings printed on packaging and information on how to clear up smashed bulbs in the home.

But a toxicologist has played down the risks, saying several bulbs would have to be smashed at once to pose a danger.

Mercury

Environmental scientist Dr David Spurgeon said: "Because these light bulbs contain small amounts of mercury they could cause a problem if they are disposed of in a normal waste-bin.

"It is possible that the mercury they contain could be released either into the air or from land-fill when they are released into the wider environment.

"That's a concern, because mercury is a well known toxic substance."


If you broke five bulbs in a small unventilated room then you might be in short term danger
Dr David Ray, toxicologist

Official advice from the Department of the Environment states that if a low-energy bulb is smashed, the room needs to be vacated for at least 15 minutes.

A vacuum cleaner should not be used to clear up the debris, and care should be taken not to inhale the dust.

Instead, rubber gloves should be used, and the broken bulb put into a sealed plastic bag - which should be taken to the local council for disposal.

However, this advice is not printed on the packaging that low-energy bulbs are sold in.

Toxicologist Dr David Ray, from the University of Nottingham, said about 6-8mg of mercury was present in a typical low-energy bulb, which he described as a "pretty small amount".

"Mercury accumulates in the body - especially the brain," he said. "The biggest danger is repeated exposure - a one off exposure is not as potentially dangerous compared to working in a light bulb factory.

"If you smash one bulb then that is not too much of a hazard. However, if you broke five bulbs in a small unventilated room then you might be in short term danger."

Information campaign

Adrian Harding of the Environment Agency said: "More information does need to be made available by retailers, local authorities and the government to alert people to the best way of dealing with these products when they become waste."

Louise Molloy from the environment group Greenpeace said that a public information campaign was needed in order to advise people how to dispose of low-energy bulbs safely.

But she added: "Rather than being worried about the mercury these light bulbs contain, the general public should be reassured that using them will actually reduce the amount of mercury overall in our atmosphere."

The lighting industry and the government say the risk of mercury pollution posed by low energy bulbs is minimal.

Kevin Verdun of the Lighting Association said: "Fluorescent strips, like the ones used in garages and kitchens, also contain mercury and have been used for many years without poisoning anyone."

But he said that warnings on how to safely dispose of smashed bulbs "might" be put on packaging in future, if the government and the public demanded it.

This month shops in the UK will begin the process of phasing out traditional tungsten bulbs as part of a government plan to completely replace them by 2011.

Ministers hope that using the more environmentally-friendly bulbs will save at least save 5m tonnes-worth of carbon dioxide emissions every year.

It was on the BBC Breakfast this morning they were saying you cant just throw them away as they contain s small amount of mercury, so if one breaks you have to take special measures clearing it up. I am really shocked and concerned at how this can happen. Am sure if you look the site up it will tell you a lot more!!


Janey

Thanks Colin lol


Janey

That’s a worry - I have a plastic tub full of low energy bulbs under my stairs as most of my house is converted - the tub has been dropped before now and I probably keep about 20 assorted bulbs in it.

Once I have taken all the Christmas Paraphernalia down today - I think I need to re assess how or where I keep the spares.

HI JANEY

NOT VERY COMFORTING
TO KNOW
WHEN TOLD TO CONSERVE ENERGY

There was also a report in the paper that the cheaper low energy bulbs have cause migraines in people susceptible to them, as the old style strip lighting used to do.

Ann
Glos

It is a worry Gwen and MM I am thinking of taking mine out and not buying any more



Janey

Sit in the dark and conserve even more lol

I did think about that Angel - esp for my downstairs loo - but 'normal' bulbs are being phased out and in a few years you will only be able to buy low energy (although I still havent found one that fits the small tiffany lamps in our bedroom). So we need to start getting used to it now.

I wonder what will happen to spotlights - I havent seen them low energy yet either.

WE WERE JUST GOING TO CHANGE ALL
OURS

You cant use low energy bulbs with dimmer switches either so I'm told and what about the halogen spots in the kitchen, are they being phased out as well?

Not sure about that Colin, hope I am not confusing everyone.

I have a habit of popping light bulbs, I switch them on and they pop, so this scares me.

they dont do much for your eyes either,,,they are so dim,,,,,,,,, my mum took all hers out,,,,they make everything gloomy....more light from a torch,,,,,,,,,,

We are fooling ourselves if we think that energy saving bulbs will save the planet.

They won't, by all means use them when appropriate, but the impact they have on our total consumption is negligible. No one has yet come clean and said what the cost to make them is yet viz a viz the so called benefit.

It is all a bit like saying we should take a bucketful of water out of the local river when it is running high, to stop it breaking the banks.

The light output does take a time to come up to full strength when you switch a low energy bulb on but the brightness depends on what size you use, just like a conventional bulb for eg a 8 watt low energy bulb gives out 40 watt and 11 watt low energy gives out 60 watt of light output...from a 'soft colour bulb'
..I have just read the 'advice panel' on our Philips low energy bulb which states:
''Not suitable for dimming, electronic switches, photocells, timing devices and dusk to dawn sensors. Not suitable for fully closed luminiares''

So pretty b****y iseless then!

I heard the report.
Low energy bulbs can also cause eczma and cause worse eczma in those already suffering.
However, when bulb manufacturers say they are phasing out incandescent bulbs - they reckon they are only phasing out the 'mushroom' shaped ones.
Many of my fittings won't take low energy bulbs, either the shade is the wrong shame, or, when they are in the room is so gloomy the bulb is useless!!
Has anyone else tried using a low energy bulb with a main light fitting using a shade that takes a 60 watt maximum? I tried it in my bathroom - it was ridiculous!!
Personally, I think choice is slowly being denied to the general public, not just in bulbs, but in many things.

maggie