Hazmat Suits and CFL Light Bulbs

The House Republicans failed to reach a supermajority that would’ve repealed The Better Use of Light Bulb Act.  This law was passed in 2007 and will eventually phase out the cheap and safe incandescent light bulb.   Liberals are elated that big brother has stepped all over the free will of the American people.  Newspaper editors blow their noses on the common man.  Here is a Kansas City Star’s sneering comment:     

Yes, this is the law the American people have been hearing so much about lately, the one that many House Republicans and a few Democrats want to repeal for political reasons, whining that it takes away our rights to - essentially - buy inefficient, costly, old-fashioned incandescent light bulbs.

Although they don't exactly say it that way.

Instead, they continue peddling their anti-government bogeyman theory of the moment, that Washington (and they say that word with a sneer) is trying to control light-bulb freedom in America.

The editors at the Kansas City Star don’t mind if you have a choice, just as long as it’s a choice made by them:

Actually, the law simply requires that people get to choose from more efficient bulbs in the future, which are likely to be compact fluorescents or light-emitting diode lamps. They cost more upfront than incandescents (at least right now), but use a lot less energy

What the editors at the Kansas City Star omitted is that you practically need a hazmat suit hanging in your closet if you break one of these so-called energy efficient bulbs.  Fortunately for us, the EPA has issued guidelines for just such a disaster:

Before cleanup

·    Have people and pets leave the room.

·    Air out the room for 5-10 minutes by opening a window or door to the outdoor environment.

·    Shut off the central forced air heating/air-conditioning system, if you have one.

·    Collect materials needed to clean up broken bulb:

o  stiff paper or cardboard;

o  sticky tape;

o  damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes (for hard surfaces); and

o  a glass jar with a metal lid or a sealable plastic bag.

During cleanup

·    Be thorough in collecting broken glass and visible powder.

·    Place cleanup materials in a sealable container.

After cleanup

·    Promptly place all bulb debris and cleanup materials outdoors in a trash container or protected area until materials can be disposed of properly. Avoid leaving any bulb fragments or cleanup materials indoors.

·    If practical, continue to air out the room where the bulb was broken and leave the heating/air conditioning system shut off for several hours.

    They also provide instructions on how to prevent breaking these CFL bulbs:

·    Always switch off and allow a working CFL bulb to cool before handling.

·    Always handle CFL bulbs carefully to avoid breakage.

o  If possible, screw/unscrew the CFL by holding the plastic or ceramic base, not the glass tubing.

o  Gently screw in the CFL until snug. Do not over-tighten.

o  Never forcefully twist the glass tubing.

·    Do not install CFLs in table lamps and floor lamps that can be easily knocked over, in unprotected light fixtures, or in lamps that are incompatible with the spiral or folded shape of many CFLs.

·    Do not use CFL bulbs in locations where they can easily be broken, such as play spaces.

·    Use CFL bulbs that have a glass or plastic cover over the spiral or folded glass tube, if available. These types of bulbs look more like incandescent bulbs and may be more durable if dropped.

·    Consider using a drop cloth (e.g., plastic sheet or beach towel) when changing a fluorescent light bulb in case a breakage should occur. The drop cloth will help prevent mercury contamination of nearby surfaces and can be bundled with the bulb debris for disposal.

And if you think you can just throw a CFL bulb in the trash you’ve got another think coming.  The National Geographic has also issued guidelines on how to dispose of this hazardous material:

Proper Disposal Technique

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy advise people to dispose of CFL bulbs safely and separately to prevent mercury contamination. In addition, some states and municipalities have passed laws requiring that the bulbs be recycled. To safely recycle your CFLs, contact your waste hauler or municipality to see if either offers a collection service or has a drop-off location for the used bulbs. Many hardware stores collect the bulbs, so check with local retailers if you do not have a drop-off nearby. You can gather the bulbs in a shoe box or another box safely stored away until you accumulate several in need of recycling, thus preventing numerous trips to the drop-off center. (See References 1)

 All I have to ask is where is Ralph Nader when you need him?

Read more: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/07/17/2459592/congress-dont-pull-the-plug-on.html#ixzz1SVO3BXmT

http://www.epa.gov/cfl/cflcleanup.html

http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/can-throw-cfl-lightbulbs-trash-2828.html