An energy saving bulb has gone - evacuate the room now!

[Guest guest]

An energy saving bulb has gone - evacuate the room now!

By MARTIN DELGADO - Last updated at 01:27am on 6th January 2008

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/live/articles/technology/technology.html?in_\

article_id=506347 & in_page_id=1965

Energy-saving light bulbs are so dangerous that everyone must

leave the room for at least 15 minutes if one falls to the floor and

breaks, a Government department warned yesterday.

The startling alert came as health experts also warned that toxic

mercury inside the bulbs can aggravate a range of problems

including migraines and dizziness.

And a leading dermatologist said tens of thousands of people with

skin complaints will find it hard to tolerate being near the bulbs as they

cause conditions such as eczema to flare up.

The Department for Environment warned shards of glass from broken

bulbs should not be vacuumed up but instead swept away by someone

wearing rubber gloves to protect them from the bulb's mercury content.

In addition, it said care should be taken not to inhale any dust and the

broken pieces should be put in a sealed plastic bag for disposal at a

council dump – not a normal household bin.

None of this advice, however, is printed on the packaging the

new-style bulbs are sold in. There are also worries over how the

bulbs will be disposed of.

Under new regulations for hazardous waste, councils are obliged

to recycle them.

At present, they should be placed in special bins also used for

batteries at a council dump. But in future, councils will have to

provide a collection service or install special recycling banks for

the bulbs.

There are fears that without a proper disposal system, the mercury

content could contaminate water supplies.

But disposing of one municipal recycling bin full of bulbs costs

about £650 each time, adding to fears of higher council tax bills.

The warnings cast a shadow over Government plans to begin

phasing out traditional tungsten lights this month.

Ministers hope that using the more environmentally friendly bulbs

will save at least five million tons of carbon dioxide emissions

every year.

The bulbs are due to become compulsory in homes in four years.

Campaigners are calling for an opt-out so that people with health

problems can still use old-style bulbs.

Others are thinking of hoarding the familiar pear-shaped bulbs so

that they can keep on using them even after they have disappeared

from the shops.

Independent environmental scientist Dr Spurgeon warned

yesterday: " Because these light bulbs contain small amounts of

mercury, they could cause a problem if disposed of in a normal

bin.

" It is possible that the mercury could be released into the air or from

land-fill when they are released into the wider environment. That is

a concern, because mercury is a well-known toxic substance. "

And dermatologist Dr Hawk, told BBC Radio 4's Today

programme that some people already find it difficult to tolerate

the fluorescent-strip lighting that is widely used in schools and

offices, which works in the same way as the eco-friendly bulbs.

He said: " 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, in Britain, whose ailments flare 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 (old-style) lighting. "

ends

[Guest guest]

This article went to archive now:

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/live/articles/technology/technolog

y.html?in_page_id=1965 & in_article_id=506347

>

> An energy saving bulb has gone - evacuate the room now!

>

> By MARTIN DELGADO - Last updated at 01:27am on 6th January 2008

>

>

>

>

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/live/articles/technology/technolog

y.html?in_article_id=506347 & in_page_id=1965

>

>

>

> Energy-saving light bulbs are so dangerous that everyone must

>

> leave the room for at least 15 minutes if one falls to the floor and

>

> breaks, a Government department warned yesterday.

>

> The startling alert came as health experts also warned that toxic

>

> mercury inside the bulbs can aggravate a range of problems

>

> including migraines and dizziness.

>

> And a leading dermatologist said tens of thousands of people with

>

> skin complaints will find it hard to tolerate being near the bulbs

as they

>

> cause conditions such as eczema to flare up.

>

> The Department for Environment warned shards of glass from broken

>

> bulbs should not be vacuumed up but instead swept away by someone

>

> wearing rubber gloves to protect them from the bulb's mercury

content.

>

> In addition, it said care should be taken not to inhale any dust

and the

>

> broken pieces should be put in a sealed plastic bag for disposal at

a

>

> council dump – not a normal household bin.

>

> None of this advice, however, is printed on the packaging the

>

> new-style bulbs are sold in. There are also worries over how the

>

> bulbs will be disposed of.

>

> Under new regulations for hazardous waste, councils are obliged

>

> to recycle them.

>

> At present, they should be placed in special bins also used for

>

> batteries at a council dump. But in future, councils will have to

>

> provide a collection service or install special recycling banks for

>

> the bulbs.

>

> There are fears that without a proper disposal system, the mercury

>

> content could contaminate water supplies.

>

> But disposing of one municipal recycling bin full of bulbs costs

>

> about £650 each time, adding to fears of higher council tax bills.

>

> The warnings cast a shadow over Government plans to begin

>

> phasing out traditional tungsten lights this month.

>

> Ministers hope that using the more environmentally friendly bulbs

>

> will save at least five million tons of carbon dioxide emissions

>

> every year.

>

> The bulbs are due to become compulsory in homes in four years.

>

> Campaigners are calling for an opt-out so that people with health

>

> problems can still use old-style bulbs.

>

> Others are thinking of hoarding the familiar pear-shaped bulbs so

>

> that they can keep on using them even after they have disappeared

>

> from the shops.

>

> Independent environmental scientist Dr Spurgeon warned

>

> yesterday: " Because these light bulbs contain small amounts of

>

> mercury, they could cause a problem if disposed of in a normal

>

> bin.

>

> " It is possible that the mercury could be released into the air or

from

>

> land-fill when they are released into the wider environment. That is

>

> a concern, because mercury is a well-known toxic substance. "

>

> And dermatologist Dr Hawk, told BBC Radio 4's Today

>

> programme that some people already find it difficult to tolerate

>

> the fluorescent-strip lighting that is widely used in schools and

>

> offices, which works in the same way as the eco-friendly bulbs.

>

> He said: " 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, in Britain, whose ailments flare 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 (old-style) lighting. "

> ends

>

>

>