Expert Warns of Health Risks Associated With New Light Bulb Technology

CNSNews ^ | March 10, 2011 | Dan Joseph

[jazusamo]

(CNSNews.com) – A lighting expert who has overseen lighting projects including the Statue of Liberty and the Petronas Towers, expressed concerns on Capitol Hill Thursday about the safety of certain types of new light bulbs.

Speaking before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Howard M. Branston spoke out in favor of the "Better Use of Light Bulbs Act" – a measure which would overturn elements of a 2007 law mandating that traditional incandescent light bulbs be phased out over the next few years.

In his testimony, Branston claimed that parts of the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act served as a “de-facto ban on traditional incandescent light bulbs” and that compact florescent light bulb, or CFLs -- the most popular alternative to incandescent bulbs (ordinary light bulbs) -- pose a risk to public health and safety.

(Click here to see a 2009 CNSNews.com commentary which addressed those issues.)

“The compact fluorescent lamp contains mercury,” said Branston. “One gram of mercury will pollute a two acre pond. This 2007 light bulb standard brings a deadly poison into every residence in our nation.

“We do not have enough knowledge of the potential consequences of being continuously exposed to the electro magnetic field that compact florescent lamps emit. There are millions of people in this country with Lupus, an auto immune disease. Exposure to low doses of light from these lamps causes a sever rash.”

Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho) expressed similar concerns, during his questioning of the panel.

“Has anybody looked at the EPA recommendations put out in January 25, 2011 about what you do if one of these mercury light bulbs break in your home?” Risch asked.

“In Idaho, we’ve had a number of instances where they’ve had a mercury spill in a science laboratory or something in the laboratory in the school, and they immediately closed the school down for, I don’t know, a number of days while they cleaned it up,” he pointed out.

“Can you imagine mercury bulbs throughout a school? I mean, any time a kid wants a day off he’s going to break a mercury light bulb and that’s going to shut that school down and if they don’t they’re going to have trouble with the EPA according to what has to happen to clean it up,” Risch added.

Branston, part of a six-person panel testifying on the legislation, also issued warnings about the safety of LED (light-emitting diode) lamps, another alternative to incandescent light bulbs, saying that not enough research has been done to guarantee the safety of consumers who are exposed to the bulbs.

“When we look at the future of LEDs we have not yet discovered all of the ramifications of that,” said Branston. “The French have found that the output of these lamps is harming the vision of young children. Why aren’t we doing epidemiology studies on that? They contain arsenic and other poisonous materials. Why aren’t we looking at that?

“Why don’t we know that when you throw one of those CFL’s in the trash the mercury changes to methyl mercury which is a deadly poison, which if it gets into our water supply will be a danger?”

However, panel member Steve Nadel, executive director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, dismissed Branston’s concerns claiming that the mercury needed to power old-fashioned incandescent bulbs poses more of a health and environmental risk than that contained within the CFLs.

“The biggest source of mercury in our environment, human caused mercury is from power production,” Nadel said. “If you use the conventional incandescent lamp I believe the EPA found that you would emit 5.5 grams of mercury into the atmosphere that then goes into the water. It can go into the fish and be ingested.

“With the CFL -- and this is EPA data -- there’s only 1.6 milligrams of mercury that goes into the environment. Most of that has to do with -- even a CFL results in some power production, I think 0.4 grams of mercury EPA found typically goes into the environment from the bulb itself. So, it’s not that one has mercury and one doesn’t. They both have mercury and frankly the incandescent has more.”

Besides safety and health concerns Branston, who was the only proponent of the "Better Use of Light Bulbs Act" on the panel, also cited concerns that eliminating incandescent bulbs would cost the nation jobs, put a cost burden on businesses -- many of which will have to update lighting fixtures that are incompatible with the newer bulb -- pose a fire hazard, lower the quality of the light emitted and be an unnecessary government intrusion on the free-market.

Supporters of CFL’s and LEDs say the would significantly lower energy consumption in the United States and are more cost efficient than their incandescent counterparts.

The Energy Independence and Security Act, which was signed into law by President George W. Bush requires roughly 25 percent greater efficiency for light bulbs by 2014. Opponents argue that this will effectively ban the sale of most current incandescent light bulbs.

[jazusamo]

And so it goes, on and on.

[driftdiver]

The EPA bans dust from farmers efforts to work in their fields.

The EPA mandates dairy farmers have an emergency plan in case they spill milk.

The EPA has determined the very air we exhale to be regulated and controlled.

Somehow the EPA is silent on the issue of mercury in these lamps.

[Christian Engineer Mass]

“One gram of mercury will pollute a two acre pond. This 2007 light bulb standard brings a deadly poison into every residence in our nation.

“We do not have enough knowledge of the potential consequences of being continuously exposed to the electro magnetic field that compact florescent lamps emit. There are millions of people in this country with Lupus, an auto immune disease. Exposure to low doses of light from these lamps causes a sever rash.”

Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho) expressed similar concerns, during his questioning of the panel.

Pshtt. Mere neocon ultracons fighting the hope & change revolution



I was going to post a rolleyes smiley but hovercats are better

[GOPJ]

“One gram of mercury will pollute a two acre pond. This 2007 light bulb standard brings a deadly poison into every residence in our nation. “We do not have enough knowledge of the potential consequences of being continuously exposed to the electro magnetic field that compact florescent lamps emit.

Liberals don't care about 'facts' they care about 'control' and 'feeling good about themselves'... and this dangerous light bulb gives them both.

[FrankR]

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

““The biggest source of mercury in our environment, human caused mercury is from power production,” Nadel said. “If you use the conventional incandescent lamp I believe the EPA found that you would emit 5.5 grams of mercury into the atmosphere that then goes into the water. It can go into the fish and be ingested. “

On which freaking planet does an incandescent lamp or even the power needed to illuminate it produce 5.5 gms Hg? What a ludicrous, baseless assertion.

[jeffc]

Liberals always think their ideas are the best of the best and wonder why it wasn't thought of before. But then they can't think two steps down the road to what happens after.

I've said from the beginning: wait until we start to throw away these mercury bulbs en masse and our landfills are full of leaking mercury from these broken bulbs polluting the earth way more than any incandescent would. The libs will (then!) declare the mercury bulbs bad and outlaw the very thing they were pushing as "green" only a few short years before (but they won't admit to it and the lame stream "media" will cover for them)!

[Publius6961]

Hyperbole from any position creates lots of heat, but not much light.
This is so much Bullshit!*

Quadrillions of fluorescent bulbs have been used in office buildings, warehouses, factories and homes in the last 100 years, discarded, and most ponds in America is still just fine, thankyouverymuch.

If more nuclear plants are built, and energy returns to "too cheap to meter," I might return to incandescents.

[PATRIOT1876]

The EPA mandates dairy farmers have an emergency plan in case they spill milk.

Plan 1235-57.00154A

“Cry.”

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Mercury contamination is a business opportunity for Democrat constituents.

Force people to buy CFL, then force them to buy hazardous waste services when they break one.

Win-win for the crony-capitalist crowd.

[jazusamo]

Yep, control is what it’s about. They don’t even mention the cost of CFL’s and I understand they’re mostly made in China.

[jazusamo]

Bump!

[MamaDearest]

The danger of compact fluorescent lighting

Snips:

. I know I’m not the only one. I’ve talked to others who have similar problems and there have been some reports about CFLs increasing migranes, depression, and worsening symptoms in diseases such as Lupus.

. Compact fluorescent lights (CFL) produce radio wave frequencies. ……..The closer you sit to the bulb the greater your exposure. Because the high frequencies travel along the wire you can be exposed in other rooms of your home as well as the room that contains the CFL.

. new research has come to light that indicates that CFLs emit a high humming sound that is not in our range of hearing but is in the range of hearing of cats and dogs. Can you image hearing a high pitched humming sound all day long. It would be enough to drive you nuts! Many pet owners report that their cats or dogs do not want to be in rooms with CFL bulbs on and will become anxious if they are forced to be.

[Publius6961]

“Can you imagine mercury bulbs throughout a school? I mean, any time a kid wants a day off he’s going to break a mercury light bulb and that’s going to shut that school down and if they don’t they’re going to have trouble with the EPA according to what has to happen to clean it up,” Risch added.

The ignorant hysterical bureaucracies are clearly to blame for absurd reactions.

In my high school science labs every student learning chemistry and physics handled metallic mercury, and learned the difference between the metallic form, and soluble and insoluble mercury compounds.

Welcome to the idiocracy...

[skr]

Air support for the Viking Kitty Squad?

[MsLady]

Hmmm and in earthquake country this could be seriously bad news. Can you imagine half a dozen breaking around you and you have to step over them in bare feet to get out of your house? Or get caught inside and can’t get out? Hmmmmm....not good.

[BlueLancer]

"I've said from the beginning: wait until we start to throw away these mercury bulbs en masse and our landfills are full of leaking mercury from these broken bulbs polluting the earth way more than any incandescent would. The libs will (then!) declare the mercury bulbs bad and outlaw the very thing they were pushing as "green" only a few short years before (but they won't admit to it and the lame stream "media" will cover for them)!"

Remember the old, "We must discontinue use of paper bags to save the trees. Use plastic instead!" And now they're demanding that we quit using plastic bags as well and go to those disease-ridden stupid cloth bags.

[jazusamo]

I don't think any law should have been passed to in effect limit and then force incandescent use out. Let the market decide, if they're indeed cost effective the people will eventually switch over anyway.

[Christian Engineer Mass]

It’s a total superiority solution.

[Publius6961]

Two cats and one dog. They must be mutants.
They would sleep ON the damned things if they could manage it. The dog is too big to try.

Silly season is among us. My critters sleep soundly while we watch movies with theater surround sound.