Mercury in florescent bulbs

August 8, 2005

A few days ago my husband was telling my kids about the difference

between incandescent light and florescent light. He said a

florescent light bulb is basically a gas that is burned. I am

ignorant of these kinds of things so it was new to me but I didn't

think much of it at the time.

Yesterday morning I opened the door to my daughter's room to wake her

up and found that her floor lamp had fallen in the night. The

florescent light bulbs had broken with glass scattered all over the

floor. My husband cleaned up the mess and sent me to the store to

buy new bulbs. I went to RiteAid and picked up what looked like the

same as she had and saw a warning on the packaging that it contains

mercury. What? Does this mean since they broke, her room is

contaminated? What gas burns inside those light bulbs? I then went

to a lamp store thinking there would be more variety. Every

florescent light bulb had the warning label of containing mercury.

The manager of the store told me regular light bulbs would work fine

in our lamp so I did not buy anything (have plenty at home).

Does anyone know anything about this? I am surprised in the last 4

years I have never heard this come up (though I admit I haven't been

too active on this list). I have heard of thermometers

breaking and how harmful it is but what about florescent light bulbs?

August 8, 2005

Yes, they have mercury in them. That was one major problem in 9/11--all

those fluorescent bulbs crashing down and breaking open. Get some

professional help in cleaning this up.

Barb

[ ] Mercury in florescent bulbs

>A few days ago my husband was telling my kids about the difference

> between incandescent light and florescent light. He said a

> florescent light bulb is basically a gas that is burned. I am

> ignorant of these kinds of things so it was new to me but I didn't

> think much of it at the time.

>

> Yesterday morning I opened the door to my daughter's room to wake her

> up and found that her floor lamp had fallen in the night. The

> florescent light bulbs had broken with glass scattered all over the

> floor. My husband cleaned up the mess and sent me to the store to

> buy new bulbs. I went to RiteAid and picked up what looked like the

> same as she had and saw a warning on the packaging that it contains

> mercury. What? Does this mean since they broke, her room is

> contaminated? What gas burns inside those light bulbs? I then went

> to a lamp store thinking there would be more variety. Every

> florescent light bulb had the warning label of containing mercury.

> The manager of the store told me regular light bulbs would work fine

> in our lamp so I did not buy anything (have plenty at home).

>

> Does anyone know anything about this? I am surprised in the last 4

> years I have never heard this come up (though I admit I haven't been

> too active on this list). I have heard of thermometers

> breaking and how harmful it is but what about florescent light bulbs?

>

> =======================================================

>

August 8, 2005

on 8/8/05 1:34 PM, cubicmonica at cubicmonica@... wrote:

> Does this mean since they broke, her room is

> contaminated?

I think so...To what degree? I have no idea.

>What gas burns inside those light bulbs?

Mercury vapor, I am assuming.

Haven't you heard of " mercury Vapor " lamps?

>I then went

> to a lamp store thinking there would be more variety. Every

> florescent light bulb had the warning label of containing mercury.

> The manager of the store told me regular light bulbs would work fine

> in our lamp so I did not buy anything (have plenty at home).

>

> Does anyone know anything about this?

Only that I have heard of this before and now I am very wary of being around

fluorescent blubs...don't really want them in my house,

~Inga

August 8, 2005

I did a little research on fluorescent lighting and they do contain fairly large

amounts of mercury vapor.

On average, each tube contains 22 milligrams of mercury. This is a significant

amount of mercury vapor.

Lighting does have an " Alto " brand of mercury vapor tubes identifiable

by the green metal caps on each end. claims that these tube bulbs only

contain 2 milligrams of mercury.

I have no research for the substitute curly " energy-saving " fluorescent bulbs

that replace traditional light bulbs, but am sure that they do contain mercury

vapor.

[ ] Mercury in florescent bulbs

A few days ago my husband was telling my kids about the difference

between incandescent light and florescent light. He said a

florescent light bulb is basically a gas that is burned. I am

ignorant of these kinds of things so it was new to me but I didn't

think much of it at the time.

Yesterday morning I opened the door to my daughter's room to wake her

up and found that her floor lamp had fallen in the night. The

florescent light bulbs had broken with glass scattered all over the

floor. My husband cleaned up the mess and sent me to the store to

buy new bulbs. I went to RiteAid and picked up what looked like the

same as she had and saw a warning on the packaging that it contains

mercury. What? Does this mean since they broke, her room is

contaminated? What gas burns inside those light bulbs? I then went

to a lamp store thinking there would be more variety. Every

florescent light bulb had the warning label of containing mercury.

The manager of the store told me regular light bulbs would work fine

in our lamp so I did not buy anything (have plenty at home).

Does anyone know anything about this? I am surprised in the last 4

years I have never heard this come up (though I admit I haven't been

too active on this list). I have heard of thermometers

breaking and how harmful it is but what about florescent light bulbs?

=======================================================

August 8, 2005

> I have no research for the substitute curly " energy-saving "

fluorescent bulbs that replace traditional light bulbs, but am sure

that they do contain mercury vapor.

Yes, they have mercury too. Usually 2~5 milligrams per bulb. I have

many of those bulbs in my home to save energy. I only install them on

ceilings to avoid damage.

August 9, 2005

> > I have no research for the substitute curly " energy-saving "

> fluorescent bulbs that replace traditional light bulbs, but am sure

> that they do contain mercury vapor.

>

> Yes, they have mercury too. Usually 2~5 milligrams per bulb. I have

> many of those bulbs in my home to save energy. I only install them on

> ceilings to avoid damage.

I will never use mercury bulbs or tubes, they caused serious problems with

concentration.

They should not be forced upon people by law, nor in schools.

Why buy into it? I use fluorescent bulbs, they give off heat and save me on

heating.

August 9, 2005

> > > I have no research for the substitute curly " energy-saving "

> > fluorescent bulbs that replace traditional light bulbs, but am

sure

> > that they do contain mercury vapor.

> >

> > Yes, they have mercury too. Usually 2~5 milligrams per bulb. I

have

> > many of those bulbs in my home to save energy. I only install

them on

> > ceilings to avoid damage.

>

> I will never use mercury bulbs or tubes, they caused serious

problems with concentration.

> They should not be forced upon people by law, nor in schools.

> Why buy into it? I use fluorescent bulbs, they give off heat and

save me on heating.

cent bulbs have mercury in them.

That is what people have been discussing here -- how much,

how to clean up if broken, etc.

good wishes,

Moria

August 9, 2005

> > I have no research for the substitute curly " energy-saving "

> fluorescent bulbs that replace traditional light bulbs, but am sure

> that they do contain mercury vapor.

>

> Yes, they have mercury too. Usually 2~5 milligrams per bulb. I have

> many of those bulbs in my home to save energy. I only install them on

> ceilings to avoid damage.

I will never use mercury bulbs or tubes, they caused serious problems with

concentration.

They should not be forced upon people by law, nor in schools.

Why buy into it? I use fluorescent bulbs, they give off heat and save me on

heating.

cent bulbs and tube lighting all contain mercury vapor. Perhaps you

meant to write incandescent light bulbs?

August 9, 2005

cent bulbs that you said you are using are the

ones with mercury in them.

Unfortunately, some light fixtures do not have

alternatives--like the long tube bulbs. You can get

kinds with lower mercury that are approved for

California to reduce exposure. but for florescent

fixtures, the technology is not there yet (that I am

aware of) for a replacement bulb. My kitchen has a

weird ceiling and replacing them at this point is cost

prohibitive as we would have to redo the entire

ceiling and kitchen cabinets. Fortuantely, my son does

not have access to the bulbs.

I believe halogen and incandescent bulbs are mercury

free.

From: " maz_mercuryexposure "

<mercuryexposure@...>

Subject: Re: Mercury in florescent bulbs

I will never use mercury bulbs or tubes, they caused

serious problems

with concentration.

They should not be forced upon people by law, nor in

schools.

Why buy into it? I use fluorescent bulbs, they give

off heat and save

me on heating.

__________________________________________________

August 10, 2005

Thermometers, baumanomethers (The apparatus for taking your blood

pressure)fluorescent light, mercury light (municipal light) sodium light,

your A/C thermosthat, your car: trunk mercury switch, Alarm at household and

affice, some toys... the list is endless

2005/8/8, cubicmonica <cubicmonica@...>:

>

> A few days ago my husband was telling my kids about the difference