I've been trying to think how to start this post with enough impact to startle anyone who reads this. So far, I haven't really come up with anything that's remotely satisfying. Truthfully, to do the matter academic justice, I could probably research Mercury and its household uses and dangers for months. I would probably end up with a result better suited to submitting a doctorate thesis than writing a blog post.
It just bugs the hell out of me that the generic and relatively inexpensive energy saver promoted (touted) to a busy, distracted public as the answer to their high electricity bills is ... the fluorescent light bulb. Fluorescent light bulbs are being recommended to every household (and business) as the one, the only, long-lasting, energy saving, cost effective replacement to the old incandescent light bulbs. (If anyone else has found an alternative, it's been kept very quiet.) The manufacturers and marketers carefully avoid mentioning some of the drawbacks associated with the light that is emitted by fluorescent lights: a) visusally, the light is very cold in appearance; b) the light flickers just enough to cause distress to anyone with Asperger's Syndrome or Autism; and c) can contribute to epileptic seizures in some sensitive people.
However, in my mind, what tops all those cautions, is the simple fact that each fluorescent light bulb or fluorescent tube contains Mercury. Mercury is a known deadly toxin. Mercury poisoning, when not fatal, contributes to a slew of physical problems including neurological damage. Ironically, it has also been considered as a contributing factor to Autism.
Once Mercury gets into an enviroment, it doesn't go away easily. So. Just think about it. All the electric companies are promoting the fact that you need to bring this deadly toxin into every room in your home. Go ahead. Light your world with a deadly poison. Do the cost benefits outweigh the health concerns? Maybe so. I'm not convinced. As long as the bulbs are not broken, there's absolutely no risk to your health. The problem arises in breaking a bulb or in disposing of it.
Wikipedia notes, "When broken indoors, bulbs may emit sufficient Mercury vapor to present health concerns, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends evacuating and airing out a room for at least 15 minutes after breaking a fluorescent light bulb." That's lovely. Honestly, how many people at home are going to take the time to leave, and air out a room where a bulb's been broken? I'd wager, not too many.
And as far as properly disposing of fluorescent bulbs so the Mercury doesn't doesn't enter the environment - most communities have no easy way to handle this. Like batteries, wouldn't you want to just toss the dead fluorescent bulb into the household trash? This is far more likely to happen. So the Mercury in your dead fluorescent bulbs - as the Mercury in any batteries you may have tossed on occasion into your trash - are all ending up where ever all our office and household garbage goes - and leaches out into the air and soil.
There are so many ramifications here that could be developed on so many products marketed to consumers. But for now, and this blog post, my concern is the Mercury - the toxin - contained in fluorescent light bulbs. My question to you is simple....
Do you really want to bring a deadly poison into your home to save a few dollars?
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