A Labour and Green Party initiative to ban ordinary incandescent light bulbs if they win the election could cost ordinary households thousands of dollars and have major safety implications for children and pregnant women. IAN WISHART has the story about new energy efficient light bulbs that the Government has kept off the public radar
We’ve all heard the marketing spin about so-called “energy-saver” light bulbs: they last seven times longer than an ordinary bulb, they use only a fifth of the power. In theory,
compact fluorescent lights are the way of the future, a solution to soaring energy wastage and a sure-fire way to go green in the home and save cash doing it.
In theory.
Sometimes what looks good on paper turns out to be not so flash in practice, and when politicians get involved it can be a recipe for disaster.
When Labour’s Energy Minister David Parker and the Green Party’s Jeanette Fitzsimons issued an order last month to ban the use of ordinary light bulbs in homes from next year, the news media were quick to paint it as another step towards saving the planet, faithfully spinning the government line.
“New Zealand will ban traditional light bulb sales from October 2009 to cut greenhouse gas emissions and save up to half a billion dollars in energy costs over 12 years,” reported Newstalk ZB News breathlessly.
‘’The traditional light bulb is very old technology and very inefficient. Only five per cent of the energy it uses generates light – the rest is wasted as heat,’’ Associated Press quoted David Parker in a statement, apparently missing the point that heaters may have to be used more if we switch to cold lights.
On the surface, it should have been another glittering PR moment for the Government in its battle to be seen as a climate change leader. But then again, this is the same David Parker whose climate change policy was secretly being written by Heather Simpson in Helen Clark’s office, as revealed by whistleblower Erin Leigh in the book Absolute Power. Leigh revealed the policy required constant re-drafts because Simpson didn’t have her head around the issues, and was concentrating more on the politics than the substance.
NOTE: THIS IS A HUGE ARTICLE THAT WHEN I READ THROUGH IT MADE ME CRINGE THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD ACTUALLY DO THIS TO THE PUBLIC. ANYONE WANTING THE FULL ARTICLE ON PDF FORMAT PLEASE PM ME WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS.
AT A GLANCE
Mercury vapour US authorities don’t recommend use in children’s rooms or over carpeted areas because of toxic hazard
Damage to houses Despite NZ government assurances, the latest scientific tests in the US prove the mercury in one broken bulb can irreparably contaminate a carpet. In the US insurance companies are refusing to cover the cost of replacing carpets
Fire risk It is normal for CFL bulbs to physically burn up at the end of their natural life. Although rare, in some cases this has led to house fires
Toxic smoke The burnt plastic and gases emitted when lights burn out are carcinogenic
Lifespan Although many bulbs claim 6,000 hours (five years’ use) or greater, this is based on ideal laboratory conditions. Some bulbs have died within 12 months in household use
RF Interference Household CFLs are widely known to cause interference to wireless networks, electronic appliances, hot water cylinders and cordless phones
Power disruptions NZ Government briefing papers disclose major concerns that CFLs could cause regular widespread power outages because of a peculiar side-effect known as harmonic distortion
Cost of disposal Some US states now require homeowners to drive old CFL bulbs to a special recycling centre to avoid contaminating the environment.
"Mercury exposures have serious impacts on fetal and infant brain development. Elemental mercury can cross the placenta from a mother to fetus"
“Sadly for homeowners in the US, and here in New Zealand, insurance companies won’t be covering the cost of replacing your carpet if a new energy-saver bulb breaks. You’re on your own and it could cost thousands of dollars” WTF! WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO USE THESE THINGS ONCE THEY ARE INTRODUCED!?!!
WHAT TO DO IF IT BREAKS? THE LATEST ADVICE FROM CALIFORNIA’S DEPARTMENT OF TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL
Fluorescent lights are energy efficient and help reduce greenhouse
gases that contribute to global climate change. These lights are able to accomplish this because they contain small amounts of mercury.
Mercury is a natural element that has many uses. However, mercury
is a powerful neurotoxin and causes a variety of adverse health effects due to exposure. Those who are at most risk from mercury exposure are pregnant women and developing children.
The leading consensus from environmental organizations and government is that although fluorescents should be handled
with care and managed properly to avoid breakage, they are still recommended for business and residential use due to their many benefits.
That being said, people should handle these products with care and common sense – much like you would when driving to avoid crashing your car. By taking simple steps to prevent breaking fluorescent lights, consumers can avoid exposure to mercury. Due to the possibility of mercury vapor being retained in carpets, you may want to consider using and handling fluorescent
lights only in areas above hard flooring as well as areas with lamps that are not easily knocked over by children or animals.
The following guidelines are based on recommendations from the U.S. EPA and the recent study conducted by the state of Maine for cleaning up after a CFL or fluorescent tube breaks. Please note that in California, these lights are not allowed in the trash and must be managed as Universal Wastes. It should also be mentioned that if you break a CFL that no longer works or has been used for a while, as opposed to a new CFL, the amount of mercury vapor released during a break is likely to be significantly
less. This is because much of the mercury will be bound to the glass rather than released as vapor.
When a fluorescent light breaks please refer to the following
guidelines:
• Open all doors and windows to ventilate the area for at least 15 minutes.
• Turn off your AC/Fan/Heater so as not to circulate any mercury
vapor
• Young children and pregnant women should leave the area during cleanup.
• Wear appropriate personal protective equipment, such as a dust mask and gloves to keep bulb dust and glass from being inhaled or contacting your skin.
• Carefully remove the larger pieces and place them in a secure closed container.
• Next, begin collecting the smaller pieces and dust. It is recommended
that you use two stiff pieces of paper such as index cards or one of the many commercial mercury spill kits available.
• Put all material into a sealed container. Pat the area with the sticky side of duct, packing or masking tape. Wipe the area with a damp cloth.
• Put all waste and materials used to clean up the bulb in a secure closed container and label it "Universal Waste – broken lamp".
• Take the container for recycling to the household hazardous waste facility (HHW) nearest you.
• If the bulb breaks on carpet, the State of Maine’s report suggests removing the area of carpet that has been contaminated
as a precaution. If this is not feasible, it is recommended
that you ventilate the area for several hours as well as during the process of vacuuming because vacuuming can circulate the vapor. If you vacuum, make sure to dispose of the bag along with the broken CFL at your local HHW. You should also ventilate the room during the next few times you vacuum the area.
• To read the entire study that the state of Maine did on handling
broken CFLs visit http://maine.gov/dep/rwm/homeowner/cflreport.htm
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Originally Posted by avgas
Opinions are like arseholes: Everybody has got one, but that doesn't mean you got to air it in public all the time....
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