Toxic Environmentalism; Update: EPA Warning
February 17th, 2008 by Republican By DefaultAre we willing to dump tons of toxic materials into landfills and into the air every year to prevent the sky from falling (anthropogenic global warming)? With the big push to switch to compact fluorescent replacement bulbs it wasn’t long before the obvious conflict would arise.
Every compact fluorescent bulb has about 5 milligrams of mercury in it. One problem is that they break, releasing mercury vapor into the air. Another is that while 5 milligrams is a small amount, when multiplied by the 300,000,000 that were sold last year in the US, that adds up to about 1.65 tons that will be introduced into the environment when those bulbs are thrown out. Most of that ends up in landfills, but some of it is burned in incinerators and released into the air.
If one bulb breaks that mercury goes into the air and can be inhaled. It isn’t generally absorbed by the skin or digestive tract, but it when inhaled over 75% of the mercury present in the air will be absorbed by the body. And if inhaled by a pregnant woman or nursing mother it can be transferred to the unborn or newborn baby.
The effects of exposure to mercury can be dramatic and even fatal according to the Centers for Disease Control.
As for me, I’m going to stick with my incandescents to protect the environment. It’s for the children. Remember, that 300,000,000 bulbs per year will increase if the government continues to push for their use.
And if you don’t believe me, it’s in the New York Times (since the NYT opinion article requires a subscription, I’m linking to a blog post that quotes it.)
Update: EPA weighs in on hazards (despite their ‘Energy Star’ rating on the bulbs).
The EPA says breakage of the energy-saving, mercury-containing CFLs can cause health hazards, especially for children and pregnant women, suggesting use of the bulbs over carpeted areas should be avoided. If bulbs break over carpeted areas, the cleanup may require cutting out pieces of the carpet to avoid toxic exposures.
I just find it odd that the EPA would put an endorsement on hazardous materials that could expose vulnerable populations (pregnant women and children) to dangerous and even toxic levels of neurotoxins.
February 18th, 2008 at 12:52 am
Just an FYI, the New York Times dropped all their subscription requirements a couple months ago for the site. It’s possible you have to be registered (ie, have an account) but all content of the NYT from the early 80s to today is open and free of charge now that they finally finally got rid of Times Select (or as Andrew Sullivan kept calling it, Times Delete.)
As to the bulbs, I think people should buy them and I am happy that they are more energy efficient, etc etc. But I think it’s incredibly stupid to legislate incandescent bulbs off the market. The market should rule.