Have you replaced your lightbulbs to CFL's?

[Earthy]

We have, most of them anyhow. Trying to find some for the garages. We find they put out just as much light as the reg bulbs too.

[kbabe1968]

We're almost done it.

We didn't want to waste our old bulbs, so we are replacing them as the burn out. But, yep.

My dad did this a year or so ago and said it relaly did save a lot.

In our one hallway we have two of them that burn at 15W but put out lite like 60W....the hall is so bright it's blinding! LOL :D

[southernmom]

We're slowly changing over. We've even put them in our recessed lighting. However, I've found they make them with two different "color" bulbs - one kind of gives off a blue tint I think it's called daylight or something and I don't particularly like that one.
Ann

[OrHmschlMom]

We change ours over when the old ones burn out

[JenniferErix]

Have you heard the controversy over these bulbs?
That they have mercury in them and that when they break, it releases 6 times the mercury that is safe.??

In case you haven't, here is a day's worth of info for you guys. (I had NO idea about this, until the other day, by the way.....)

Here is one report from CNN's Glen Beck.
(There are links to other sources below, of course, but these guys get to the guts of the story quickly.....)

BECK: Tell me the story -- and I swore that this was an urban legend -- just heard about it, had it tracked down by the producers, and that`s why you`re on tonight. Tell me the story about the woman in Maine with the fluorescent light bulb.

MILLOY: Well, this was reported in the "Ellsworth American." This poor woman, Brandy Bridges, was switching out her incandescent bulbs and into compact fluorescent light bulbs, CFLs, because they`re going to help save us from global warming, and she accidentally dropped the bulb that she was replacing in her daughter`s bedroom.

Now, she knew that there was something odd about the bulb. She knew they might be somewhat more dangerous, so she called Home Depot to find out what to do. Well, they told her to call the poison control center. Poison control center told her to call the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection sent a specialist out to her house.

BECK: Now, wait, wait, this has got to be an urban legend. This is true? The EPA came to help clean up a light bulb?

MILLOY: Oh, this is not the end of it. OK, so the Maine EPA tells her that, well, you need to have a specialist come out here and clean this up. So she found a specialist to come out and give her an estimate: $2,000 to clean up a light bulb. The specialist found that the level of mercury in her daughter`s bedroom was six times as high as the Maine standard for being safe.

BECK: Holy cow.


Other resources GREAT info!


http://www.junkscience.com/ByTheJunkman/20070426.html
http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:VWp_lh11uD4J:transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0705/01/gb.01.html+glen+beck+lightbulb+break&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=us&client=firefox-a
http://www.topix.net/forum/source/asheville-citizen-times/TOJ7TIOTF4R30H5L1



If you are looking for information regarding how to safely dispose of fluorescent lights.... http://ehso.com/fluoresc.php





They will tell you that each bulb only has the amount of mercury that is the same size as a period in this sentence, however......

Since 1 gram of mercury is enough to contaminate a 2-acre pond, there is enough mercury in those lamps to contaminate 20 million acres of water. http://www.worldwise.com/recfluorlig.html




How should I clean up a broken fluorescent bulb?
EPA recommends the following clean-up and disposal guidelines: Go to PAGE TWO>> http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/promotions/change_light/downloads/Fact_Sheet_Mercury.pdf


Here is the Snopes.com take on this. It is true. And it is a LOOOONG page of how the broken bulbs need to be sent to a HAZ MAT Toxic Waste Dump, and NOT just tossed in to the trash.... Just how many people are going to go through that much trouble?
http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/cfl.asp

[Emma's#1fan]

By the year 2012 I believe, the California government wants all of Californians to be using CFL's since we use so much electricity.
I have heard that they are a problem for landfills and air pollution. This is funny because with all this talk regarding the ozone and such, why would we be expected to change over. I bet many people do not know about the mercury issue. Aren't these bulbs supposes to be disposed of in a bag and then taken to a recycling place that disposes of them properly? I know you aren't supposed to crush them or just toss them in a regular trash can because then it is in the land fill and people are exposed to the mercury when they break.
Scary isn't it!

We use them on our porch, but I do not care for the amount of time it takes for them to heat up. It isn't long, I am just impatient. We had them in our bathroom but we took them out because we thought it was to dark inside. For the depth of our back yard, at night when Handome barks, I like to turn on a light that will brighten up right away so I can see what is out there. Ours do not do that.
Anyways, I am just running on!:oops:
Patty

[kbabe1968]

Thank you for that info. i'm going to give it to my husband. maybe saving pennies is shortsighted in the long run. Hmmmm...

[Earthy]

Geeze, thanks for posting about the mercury. Here I am trying to do something good.:(

[MelissainMi]

I have florescent lights in my kitchen, they were put in when t hey built our townhomes and we've lived there for over a year and havnet had to change a bulb..when I do Im calling my rental office, they can do it lol

[CrystalCA]

Its the same with thermometers ( for people or outside wall mounted ones) so are we going to stop using them too?
I use these bulbs in my whole house and I think the risk is worth it. I haven't broken a bulb in years.
I have broken a thermometer before and followed the same steps they give for the light bulbs and it has been 7 years and so far no health effects for me or my dd's that were in the same room that the thermometer broke in!
PLEASE read the Snopes link because it has great info on the clean up and on that STORY about the woman!

[Earthy]

We do have florescent in the kitchen above the sink and stove. They were there when we bought the house. They are the long stick kind. I haven't ever needed to replace those but those never get knocked or bumped around either. Not even visible.

But no cfls anywhere else in the house.

[momothem]

We just finished replacing the bulbs. I must say that I can't stand the way they look. That spiral is just hideous to me.

[sixcloar]

Our outdoor bulbs are CFL, becuase they were here when we bought the house.

I actually know someone who suffered from mercury poisoning after breaking a CFL. It took him months to get well, and a while for the doctor to even suspect mercury poisoning. He just happened to mention breaking a bulb.

[mschickie]

I know NY is trying to pass legislation mandating those bulbs. DH said if they do we are buying a life time of standard bulbs since we do not want the mercury. No one has come up with a good way of recylcing them let alone having one break in the house. I do not want to contribute to poisioning our landfills until they can figure out what to do with them.

[Ava Rose]

My dh is really into replacing all the bulbs with those. I could care less but I will do what he wants.

Now, I heard about the mercury thing. Which ticks me off since I broke one in my kitchen. I cleaned it up as carefully as I could. My dad was there and thought I was insane. I was a bit worried being pregnant and all. UGH. Now, I am more worried. I didn't do anything special to clean it up and I just threw it away. Geesh. Oh well. If these bulbs are that much of a headache I probably won't be buying anymore.

Now, this happened a few months ago....how worried do you all think I should be? The bulb fell and hit the floor and broke. I picked it up and washed my hands. I didn't even think about washing the floor in that small area as it was clean other than the bulb. To be honest, I was told the mercury was nothing to worry about at the time. Great. I hate it when things like that happen during pregnancy. UGH

[sixcloar]

If it's been a few months and no one has any symptoms of sickness, I think you'll be fine. If you're really concerned you can talk to your OB at your next appointment.

[dawninns]

I've just a got a few old ones in the basement and I have to say, I love them. One of them went out a few months ago and I realized it had been years since I'd had to change a lightbulb. Weird but wonderful feeling.

EDIT:I meant to say, "I've got just a got a few old ones in the basement left but the rest are all CFL..."

D'oh!

[KrisRV]

we use them and have no trouble with them they are all over the house even in our garage. DH loves them there.

[Actressdancer]

I stopped using them when the first one broke in my living room and I when I called the number on the package (the one that it says "in the event that this bulb breaks, call _____") they told me to immediately remove all people and pets, seal off the room, and call a hazardous waste cleaning crew.

WHAT!!!!!!!??????

So, um, no thanks.

And yes, some thermometers still use mercury, but:

a) they break WAAAy less often and easily than a lightbulb.

b) if they do break, they are outside, so the poison is not contained in my home.

c) the poison is not in powder form, so it does not simply float around the air for all to inhale.

[GraceUtah]

I have no plans on that one.

Those set off my migraines. I'm still waiting on glass ceilings! Well, but that white light...you know when it's overcast...that is a migraine day, too.

[ABall]

as much as I like to shop I get headachs from the lights too. But DH has been replacing our bulbs with them and they havn't given me a headach yet.

The only problem I saw was I don't like the ones that cast a pink hue. And the one in the kitchen takes for ever to light up--- but we have 2 brands it seams and the other lights are fine. One of the ones DH put in the kids bathroom is purple looking when its first turned on.

[Jo Anna]

I have not replaced any of them! I am forever breaking one light bulb before I even get a chance to replace the one I was set to replace. So, with this mercury scare I am not to prone to change any time soon!

I also have those long stick florescent ones in my kitchen. It finally just went out last week. It has been in this house working for over 4 years. I thought that was amazing!

[Ava Rose]

I have a stick florescent in my bathroom. I am amazed how long they last! I think mine has been working for about 2 years and before that it worked for about 4. It does take forever for the light to turn on though. I hate that.

[ABall]

as far as breaking the other kind, I had one bulb left in a pack of three, it was on the top of the fridge and the cat knocked it over at least 3 times, its still fine (though it was in its package) but if one does break, all you do is leave the room for 15 minutes and dispose of carefully.

[Actressdancer]

The other concern I have about these is this:

Most people do not know that you can NOT throw these away in the trash. The fact that so many of them are tossed to landfills every year (and in greater numbers each month as more are used) means that our ground water is being contaminated with Mercury. If the gov't is going to insist on continuing this foolishness, they need to launch a massive campaign to education people on the proper way to dispose of them. BUT... the biggest problem with that is that there is no proper way to dispose of them.... Basically, we are being asked to store the broken/burned out bulbs until the gov't pulls it's head out of its be-hind and puts something in place.

[Ava Rose]

The other concern I have about these is this:

Most people do not know that you can NOT throw these away in the trash. The fact that so many of them are tossed to landfills every year (and in greater numbers each month as more are used) means that our ground water is being contaminated with Mercury. If the gov't is going to insist on continuing this foolishness, they need to launch a massive campaign to education people on the proper way to dispose of them. BUT... the biggest problem with that is that there is no proper way to dispose of them.... Basically, we are being asked to store the broken/burned out bulbs until the gov't pulls it's head out of its be-hind and puts something in place.

I agree. Our garages will be filled with bulbs and paint! LOL.

Geesh...we may as well be called the Roman Empire where they contaminated their own water and women wore make up containing lead.

Just keep hoping the rapture isn't too far away.

[JenniferErix]

We had one, a small squiggly one go bad...

The children had one in a lamp, in their room/
Came out saying the lamp is spraying at them/
I go to see a burned out bulb. Twisted it out and put in a new one.

About a day later, I looked at it and there was a small hole in it near the base, rightbefore the squiggle part.

I googled it and we have all been exposed to the mercury.

We are trying to determine if a few of our new current problems are due to this exposure.

Then, in my research on line, I find many sites where those who swear by these as EARTH SAVERS, admit that if the bulbs were touted by republicans that the mercury poisin threat would be played up in the news already, But no one wants to be the killer of the "Save the earth" movement or whatever....

So bottom line... yea they are efficient, but yes, they pollute....

[KrisRV]

I turned my kitchen light on tonight and one just blow up and everything went flying all over the place.

[JenniferErix]

Call your local hazmat crews and see what happens... Just for grins.,...

[sixcloar]

I turned my kitchen light on tonight and one just blow up and everything went flying all over the place.
That can't be good!!

[KrisRV]

Call your local hazmat crews and see what happens... Just for grins.,...



LOL yea they will have a good laugh on me and say you can tell they homeschool.

[JenniferErix]

Here's the EPAs site on cleaning up after one breaks...
http://www.epa.gov/hg/spills/index.htm#flourescent

[JenniferErix]

Here is an interesting NPR article about the subject..
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7431198

[KrisRV]

I just wonder, and I mean wonder why would they put these silly things out with no way to keep us safe.

[JenniferErix]

There was a big story last year about a woman who had to call haz mat (Hazardous Materials) to clean up her bulb break..

Here is the actual story....
http://ellsworthmaine.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7446&Itemid=31

[Ava Rose]

Thanks for the articles. I can't see myself buying anymore of those bulbs. I am freaked out enough by the one that already broke in my house. I cleaned it up and I am pregnant. UGH. Thankfully, it broke on a smooth surface. However, I did use a broom to clean up some of it. Sadly, the broom has been used since. I had no idea these bulbs carried such a danger. I was against buying them to begin with because I could care less about global warming. My dh thought it would help on the electric bill. Well, I would rather pay a higher electric bill...that is for sure. I have no way of disposing these bulbs so I hope they do last for years.

[sixcloar]

I never even thought about this aspect (from the NPR link):

"The problem with the bulbs is that they'll break before they get to the landfill. They'll break in containers, or they'll break in a dumpster or they'll break in the trucks. Workers may be exposed to very high levels of mercury when that happens," says John Skinner, executive director of the Solid Waste Association of North America, the trade group for the people who handle trash and recycling.

I see lawsuits in the future - BIG lawsuits in our sue-happy country.

[Ava Rose]

I see lawsuits also....that and more sick kids, miscarriages and autism (oh wait...did I just put mercury on the list of possible causes for autism...I know that is very conterversial and can't be backed up...sorry! lol)

[DizneeTeachR]

Thanks for posting all this info. We have some in the kitchen...I hate turning them on & waiting!!! Now with the mercury thing, I think Hubby & I will go back to the originals. We like the "looks" not just the bulb, but the coloring better.

THANKS AGAIN!!!

[Tricia]

We have changed all of ours. We found a great deal on them at Sam's club

[JenniferErix]

I see lawsuits also....that and more sick kids, miscarriages and autism (oh wait...did I just put mercury on the list of possible causes for autism...I know that is very conterversial and can't be backed up...sorry! lol)

Here is a blog (http://adventuresinautism.blogspot.com/2008/02/cfl-mercury-light-bulbs-must-now-be.html) that discusses that particular point of view...

Latest Headline on said blog:
CFL Mercury Light Bulbs Must Now Be Treated As Hazardous Waste in New Hampshire :shock: (http://adventuresinautism.blogspot.com/2008/02/cfl-mercury-light-bulbs-must-now-be.html)

[JenniferErix]

Here is an article (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,331689,00.html) just posted on FOXnews.com (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,331689,00.html) about this subject...
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,331689,00.html

Excerpt:
Ellen Silbergeld, a professor of environmental health at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, is raising the cry about the moment when millions of these light bulbs start landing in landfills or incinerators all at once. The pig in the waste pipeline, she calls it."

[JenniferErix]

Here is an ABC story (Video and text) on the subject...
http://www.wxyz.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=209d1154-5d88-418c-b184-44611437f7a6

[JenniferErix]

One article reports this point of view....

...... schools and businesses have used fluorescent bulbs containing mercury for years....without major concerns......

Now, does this make you feel safer?
Or ....
Does it confirm your fears that things like ADHD, or Autisim are seemingly on the rise since these bulbs were being used so widely since the 60's?

I am on the fence....
But I like a good debate and transfer of info...

[Actressdancer]

The other thing about the "regular" fluorescent bulbs is that they don't break as often or as easily has a CFL lamp bulb. Not that I like them any better, but they are a little less of a risk in that regard.

[Earthy]

Thanks for all the extra articles on them. We only have them in the bedrooms now, but they are so dim.

[mamamuse]

Well, great...

My son knocked over a lamp that had one of these in it. It shattered here beside my desk.

I didn't know anything about the mercury risk. DH swept it up with our dustpan. As far as I know, no wet cloths or anything were used afterwards.

Crap. So we've probably spread mercury all over the house considering how often we use that dustpan/brush set. I mopped a couple of weeks afterwards, so is my mop contaminated, too? Which would stink because I've mopped the entire house since then.

I had no idea. Definitely gives one pause for thought, especially when there are two boys, two cats, and two dogs knocking things over all the time.