uk: Bulb switchover 'could harm health' - mercury - ionising certain forms of eczema

[Guest guest]

Bulb switchover 'could harm health'

05 Jan 2008

Source: PA News

http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/society/health/bulb+switchover+could+harm+\

health/1274647

The Government's planned switchover from traditional light-bulbs to

low-energy lighting could cause health problems for tens of thousands of

people with skin conditions including eczema, experts have warned.

And there were warnings that consumers will have to take more care

disposing of broken or expired low-energy bulbs in order to avoid

contamination with the poisonous mercury they contain.

The Environment Agency acknowledged that both retailers and the

authorities need to do more to inform the public about safe recycling of

the new-style bulbs as they become more common.

The process of phasing out the conventional pear-shaped " incandescent "

bulbs and replacing them with more energy-efficient fluorescent models

begins this month and is due to be completed by 2011 as part of the UK's

efforts to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

But Professor Hawk, dermatology spokesman for the British Skin

Foundation, warned that the new-style bulbs will cause problems for

people with light-sensitive skin, some of whom are already unable to

spend time in buildings with fluorescent strip lighting, like factories

and hospitals.

Prof Hawk told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: " Fluorescent lights seem

to have some sort of ionising characteristic where they affect the air

around them. This does affect a certain number of people, probably tens

of thousands of people in Britain, who are flared up just by being close

to them.

" Certain forms of eczema - some of which are very common - do flare up

badly anywhere near fluorescent lights, so these people have to just be

around incandescent lights. "

A much smaller number of patients with very severe light sensitivity are

unable to tolerate exposure to the small amount of ultra-violet light

given off by the new-style bulbs, he added.

There are a " significant number " of people in the UK who are already

unable to visit or work in buildings with fluorescent lighting, said

Prof Hawk, adding: " It is people who will have to be exposed to them in

their homes that we are worried for, and I very strongly suggest that

incandescent bulbs remain available for use in the home. "

Verdun, chief executive of the Lighting Association, insisted that

the needs of people with medical conditions were being taken into

account during the switchover. Only the pear-shaped conventional bulbs,

which make up about 195 million of the units sold in the UK each year,

are being phased out, leaving a further 100 million incandescent bulbs

of other styles which will still be available, he said.

*

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in receiving the included information for research

and educational purposes.For more information go to:

http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html

http://oregon.uoregon.edu/~csundt/documents.htm

If you wish to use copyrighted material from this

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[Guest guest]

Hello

what about LED bulbs? still energy saving but less likely to knock me

out. i hate fluorescent bulbs and feel this move will just make my

life worse.

is (whose irlen syndrome is so bad shes nearly been bed bound twice with ME)

> Bulb switchover 'could harm health'

>

> 05 Jan 2008

> Source: PA News

>

http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/society/health/bulb+switchover+could+harm+\

health/1274647

>

>

> The Government's planned switchover from traditional light-bulbs to

> low-energy lighting could cause health problems for tens of thousands of

> people with skin conditions including eczema, experts have warned.

>

> And there were warnings that consumers will have to take more care

> disposing of broken or expired low-energy bulbs in order to avoid

> contamination with the poisonous mercury they contain.

>

> The Environment Agency acknowledged that both retailers and the

> authorities need to do more to inform the public about safe recycling of

> the new-style bulbs as they become more common.

>

> The process of phasing out the conventional pear-shaped " incandescent "

> bulbs and replacing them with more energy-efficient fluorescent models

> begins this month and is due to be completed by 2011 as part of the UK's

> efforts to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

>

> But Professor Hawk, dermatology spokesman for the British Skin

> Foundation, warned that the new-style bulbs will cause problems for

> people with light-sensitive skin, some of whom are already unable to

> spend time in buildings with fluorescent strip lighting, like factories

> and hospitals.

>

> Prof Hawk told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: " Fluorescent lights seem

> to have some sort of ionising characteristic where they affect the air

> around them. This does affect a certain number of people, probably tens

> of thousands of people in Britain, who are flared up just by being close

> to them.

>

> " Certain forms of eczema - some of which are very common - do flare up

> badly anywhere near fluorescent lights, so these people have to just be

> around incandescent lights. "

>

> A much smaller number of patients with very severe light sensitivity are

> unable to tolerate exposure to the small amount of ultra-violet light

> given off by the new-style bulbs, he added.

>

> There are a " significant number " of people in the UK who are already

> unable to visit or work in buildings with fluorescent lighting, said

> Prof Hawk, adding: " It is people who will have to be exposed to them in

> their homes that we are worried for, and I very strongly suggest that

> incandescent bulbs remain available for use in the home. "

>

> Verdun, chief executive of the Lighting Association, insisted that

> the needs of people with medical conditions were being taken into

> account during the switchover. Only the pear-shaped conventional bulbs,

> which make up about 195 million of the units sold in the UK each year,

> are being phased out, leaving a further 100 million incandescent bulbs

> of other styles which will still be available, he said.

>

> *

>

> The material in this post is distributed without

> profit to those who have expressed a prior interest

> in receiving the included information for research

> and educational purposes.For more information go to:

> http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html

> http://oregon.uoregon.edu/~csundt/documents.htm

> If you wish to use copyrighted material from this

> email for purposes that go beyond 'fair use', you

> must obtain permission from the copyright owner*.*

>

>

>

>