Posted on 03/11/2011 8:42:11 PM PST by neverdem
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.
Appearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Howard M. Brandston spoke 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, Brandston claimed that parts of the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act serve as a “de-facto ban on traditional incandescent light bulbs” and that compact fluorescent light bulbs, or CFLs -- the most popular alternative to ordinary incandescent bulbs -- pose a risk to public health and safety.
(Click here [2] to see a 2009 CNSNews.com commentary which addresses those issues.)
“The compact fluorescent lamp contains mercury,” said Brandston. “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 electromagnetic 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 severe 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...
(Excerpt) Read more at cnsnews.com ...
BULBA!
I had a CFL shoot flames from the side of the base, where the electronics are a few weeks ago. Fortunately it didn’t catch anything on fire. So apparently they are also a fire hazard.
YUCK.... we are using a lot of ground beef these days.
The one over the sofa, right above my head was flickering and when I got up and looked at it, the base was partially _melted_.
I took it out of the socket and several places on the glass tube were brown and ‘bulged out’ as though they’d also melted and deformed.
It was not like that when I put it in.
I also cleaned up 4 broken ones last year and wound up with 10X the “safe level” of mercury in my blood.
[one literally -exploded- over a basket of freshly laundered clothes so I re-washed them all, thereby contaminating my washing machine]
On the ‘plus side’, they’ll probably be a long-term boon to the “population reduction” cheerleaders.
Frankly, we haven’t seen a damn bit of difference in our light bill.
I have had THREE start to malfunction in the same way. Racing in full panic mode through the house to find the cause of what was DEFINITELY something electrical burning is not my idea of fun.
I was told that the bulb needs to be in a CONSTANT UPRIGHT position to function "normally".
I have saved ALL THREE bulbs. I'm waiting for the commercial: "Have you had a CFL malfuntion in your home? Call the law offices of "Dewey - Cheatum and Howe!!"
http://www.epa.gov/cfl/cflcleanup.html
I have a couple of CFLs...Thinking I'll get rid of them ASAP.
You want to know why we have these idiotic lightbulbs?
Follow the money and see which congresscritters promoted their use and their connection with the bulb manufacturers. Then check their homes and see if they themselves use them.
Are they being used in the Capitol building?
Do it. My mother has sadly taken into them, but I told her that if I were staying over that she has to keep one room free. They give me blistering headaches.
I wonder if said congress critters would over turn their mandate if all of a sudden Americans from one end of the country to the other started mailing them CFLs in flimsy paper packaging?
Here is a test of the governments resolve we could all undertake: Mail burned out CFLs to Washington, D.C. for disposal.
If you mailed burned out incandescent bulbs to D.C., I doubt they would have any reaction other than to throw them in the trash.
But burned out CFL’s, like the one that went out over my sink, smell like arc welding gone haywire, and undoubtedly have toxic chemicals. They would go ape$hit, and potentially try to prosecute using EPA laws. If so, then they are knowingly and willingly subjecting us by force of law to live with dangerous products.
If this government wants us to put these bulbs in our homes, the least they can do is put up with the fallout from their decision.
Great minds :)
Hopefully, in 2013 when the Americans get back in the WH and the Senate has been flushed out, this STUPID act will be repealed!
Obama poses a risk to public health and safety.
I will not be surprised that they find they cause autism.
I have noticed that the rate of autism increased at the same rate with which the spread of fluorescent bulbs.
My daughter had one begin smoking last week. She turned it off and shut off the breaker to that circuit thinking she had a short. There was nothing wrong with her wiring, it was the bulb.
EPA loves the CFLs. They know that downstream they will be able to declare hazardous zones due to mercury. Then the whole U.S. can be under the control of EPA because of CFLs.
“You want to know why we have these idiotic lightbulbs?”
I know. George W. Bush couldn’t find his veto pen.
My bulb which flamed and stunk up the place, was in the upright position.
As was one of the three that I have that malfunctioned.
I believe they will hide this fact about these bulbs as long as they can, making people believe it's THEIR fault they "malfunctioned" (ie, it was "upside down" etc.).
Litigation concerning these will be hard to initiate due to the "green" money and backing involved, but once there is an actual death involving these bulbs, the trial lawyers NATIONALLY will trip over each other to get to court first.
(Ya might wanna save that bulb if ya haven't already!!)
For obvious reasons I assume the EPA prohibits their use in earthquake-prone areas...
Sadly this was another Bush-Pelosi bill 2007 that outlawed safe lightbulbs. Can you imagine Republicans in congress joining a president Obama in banning light bulbs? This and ethanol in that bill makes me livid.
In December 2007, many of these state efforts became moot when the federal government enacted the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which requires all general-purpose light bulbs that produce 310–2600 lumens of light[8] be 30% more energy efficient (similar to current halogen lamps) than current incandescent bulbs by 2012 to 2014. The efficiency standards will start with 100-watt bulbs in January 2012 and end with 40-watt bulbs in January 2014.
Light bulbs outside of this range are exempt from the restrictions (historically, less than 40 Watts or more than 150 Watts). Also exempt are several classes of specialty lights, including appliance lamps, rough service bulbs, 3-way, colored lamps, and plant lights.
By 2020, a second tier of restrictions would become effective, which requires all general-purpose bulbs to produce at least 45 lumens per watt (similar to current CFLs). Exemptions from the Act include reflector flood, 3-way, candelabra, colored, and other specialty bulbs.[29]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase-out_of_incandescent_light_bulbs
What to Do if a Fluorescent Light Bulb Breaks
Fluorescent light bulbs contain a very small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing. EPA recommends the following clean-up and disposal guidelines:
Open a window and leave the room (restrict access) for at least 15 minutes.
Remove all materials you can without using a vacuum cleaner.
Wear disposable rubber gloves, if available (do not use your bare hands).
Carefully scoop up the fragments and powder with stiff paper or cardboard.
Wipe the area clean with a damp paper towel or disposable wet wipe.
Sticky tape (such as duct tape) can be used to pick up small pieces and powder.
Place all cleanup materials in a plastic bag and seal it.
If your state permits you to put used or broken fluorescent light bulbs in the garbage, seal the bulb in two plastic bags and put into the outside trash (if no other disposal or recycling options are available).
Wash your hands after disposing of the bag.
The first time you vacuum the area where the bulb was broken, remove the vacuum bag once done cleaning the area (or empty and wipe the canister) and put the bag and/or vacuum debris, as well as the cleaning materials, in two sealed plastic bags in the outdoor trash or protected outdoor location for normal disposal.
My mom really hates the new bulbs say they hurt her eyes or something, she’s stocked up on regular ones.
My brother thinks it’s ridiculous and says the new bulbs are superior in every way.
But if they break... People are not likely to be aware of these security procedures. And even if they are, knowing people they will be ignored.
Don’t get me started on the second great environazi imposition, toilets. I broke a “low-flow” one in anger once and had the old one put back in. Hard to believe that Canada is freer than us when it comes to toilets.
Even harder to believe that this is constitutional.
Your bro’s wrong - look at the disposal mess you have if they break or when they burn out.
Toilets: I agree!
All of these items are examples of social engineering to the max.
Yeah...
I’ll do all that.
Sure.
I’m buying light bulbs early too. The current supply won’t last ‘til then end of the year...and they’ve already stopped production.
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