Congress has mandated that incandescent bulbs be phased out by 2012, to be replaced by compact fluorescent lights (CFLs). Well, the EPA says CFLs should not be used everywhere, specifically not over carpeted areas where they may be susceptible to breakage (you know, like any room in a house with children). CFLs have been shown to release toxic amounts of mercury when they break (reference news links below). If they break over carpet, there is a rather complicated process to clean it up: turn off heating/AC, open windows, use sealable waste containers and duct tape, etc--and whatever you do, don't vacuum it up.
Even if they don't break, they need to be disposed of carefully (ie, not with the kitchen garbage). The ban on incandescent bulbs was supported by environmentalists. This sounds like an environmental disaster in the making to me.
I've seen this info several places on the 'net, but here are a couple specific links:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,268747,00.html
http://wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=57426
Also, here is the EPA's own page for how to clean up if one of these bulbs breaks:
http://www.epa.gov/mercury/spills/index.htm
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4 comments:
I'm glad Big Brother is looking after us.
I sounds like the environmental issue is with the CPL's and the clean-up thereof.
So using those long bulbs as light sabers is a no-no now? First they tell kids it's not safe to have BB gun wars and now this!
BTW, don't breath a word of this to my wife. She'll be calling Hazmat. I had to smack down $150 bucks for a HEPA vaccum cleaner when she came home early one day and busted me scraping lead paint on or 80-year-old house.
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