Long Fluorescent Light Bulbs Mercury

That can lead to short term health risk for exposed individuals and lasting environmental damage to soil and water.

Long fluorescent light bulbs mercury.

A typical fluorescent bulb discarded. Compact fluorescent lights cfls use about a quarter of the electricity of traditional incandescent light bulbs reducing energy. You can consider using a drop cloth e g plastic sheet or beach towel when changing a fluorescent light bulb in case a breakage should occur. Low mercury bulbs containing 4 mg or less are currently produced by at least one manufacturer.

The long lasting bulbs can shine up to 30 000 hours using 2 600 lumens. The average mercury content of a 4 foot long bulb manufactured today is approximately 12 mg. Pounds that coat the inside of the bulb. Fluorescent tubes compact fluorescent germicidal blacklight metal halide and other hid light bulbs all contain mercury compounds.

23 blog but i have a concern about the breakage of fluorescents dissipating mercury inside the house. I don t think this is. Compact fluorescent lamps cfls whose use is estimated to result in a 47 savings in energy costs over the life of each bulb versus incandescents have had their critics. An article in the august 2009 official magazine of the illuminating engineering society of north america concluded that a worst case scenario of mercury exposure pdf from a broken bulb is equivalent to eating one serving of fish.

The drop cloth will help prevent mercury contamination of nearby surfaces and can be bundled with the bulb debris for disposal. A couple of kids who have a tendency to play soccer in the living room does increase the odds of a broken light bulb. July 11 2011 noah long. Bulbs manufactured in the mid 1980s and earlier con tained 40 mg or more.

I don t think there s mercury poisoning danger with regular fluorescent bulbs. Extreme care should be taken in both the handling of broken light bulbs and the disposal of burned out bulbs that contain mercury. Your response to the questions about the use of compact fluorescent bulbs was very helpful. These lights work well in bathrooms and laundry rooms.

As a result concentrations of mercury in the room will likely approach zero after about an hour or so felix s link interestingly enough that theoretical concentration of 0 2 mg m 3 is twice the osha ceiling for mercury air concentration. Precautions are recommended but how much actual risk is there. Mercury levels inside fluorescent bulbs are quite low. Fluorescent tubes serve as an energy efficient alternative to incandescent light bulbs but they contain low levels of toxic mercury which can be released into the air or water if the tubes are broken.

Mercury is highly toxic to humans and wildlife. Incandescent halogen and led bulbs do not contain mercury.