The amount of mercury in CFL's glass tubing is extremely small, about 1/100 the amount in a common household thermometer, or roughly about 4mg. However, mercury is considered to be hazardous and polluting, therefore proper disposal just like other household hazardous waste products such as paint, batteries and non-digital thermostats is required. The concern lies in the concentrations of mercury accumulating in our landfills over time. Mercury is released in the environment when products like CFLs that contain mercury break. Exposure to mercury, a toxic metal can effect the brain, spinal cord, kindeys and liver.
So, if a CFL breaks:
DO NOT INHALE THE VAPOR!
DO NOT USE A VACUUM FOR CLEAN UP!
SWEEP THE PIECES OF THE BROKEN GLASS WITH A BRUSH OR BROOM - DO NOT USE HANDS!
CLEANUP GLASS WITH A WET RAG TOWEL AND PLACE TOWEL, ALONG WITH PIECES IN A SEALED PLASTIC BAG!
For more information you may visit www.Earth911.org , or call
1-800-CLEAN-UP to locate the nearest residential mercury recycling facility.
Information about Universal Waste Rule may also be obtained by visiting the local goverment website at www.state.nj.us/dep/dshw/resource/njac726a1.pdf
(www.nema.org/lamprecycle/epafactsheet-cfl.pdf)
Prepared By: Eglantina Habazaj
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Monday, March 5, 2007
How energy efficient are compact fluorescent lightbulbs?
Mary Chipman
How energy efficient are Compact Fluorescent bulbs?
Switching from incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent light bulbs is an efficient way to save energy. Compact Fluorescent light bulbs use up to 75% less energy than regular incandescent light bulbs. They provide the same amount of light and last 10 times as long. And because they generate 70% less heat than regular light bulbs they can cut the amount of energy and costs used for home cooling. (http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls)
Compact Fluorescent bulbs save so much energy that if at least half of Americans would switch over to fluorescent, energy saving light bulbs, it would end the release of billions of pounds of carbon dioxide emissions. If homeowners changed at least five of their frequently used lights, each home would save over $60 a year in energy costs. All together that would save Americans over $6.5 billion in energy costs. That would also prevent the release of greenhouse gases equivalent to as much as the emissions of eight million cars. (http://www.need.org/needpdf/ChangeALightTG.pdf)
Switching to fluorescent bulbs is a simple and easy way to save energy and help the environment.
How energy efficient are Compact Fluorescent bulbs?
Switching from incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent light bulbs is an efficient way to save energy. Compact Fluorescent light bulbs use up to 75% less energy than regular incandescent light bulbs. They provide the same amount of light and last 10 times as long. And because they generate 70% less heat than regular light bulbs they can cut the amount of energy and costs used for home cooling. (http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls)
Compact Fluorescent bulbs save so much energy that if at least half of Americans would switch over to fluorescent, energy saving light bulbs, it would end the release of billions of pounds of carbon dioxide emissions. If homeowners changed at least five of their frequently used lights, each home would save over $60 a year in energy costs. All together that would save Americans over $6.5 billion in energy costs. That would also prevent the release of greenhouse gases equivalent to as much as the emissions of eight million cars. (http://www.need.org/needpdf/ChangeALightTG.pdf)
Switching to fluorescent bulbs is a simple and easy way to save energy and help the environment.
What are the different shapes and sizes of compact fluorescent bulbs?
"The new compact fluorescent bulbs come in many different shapes for various application purposes. They bring all the advantages of fluorescent lighting to incandescent sockets. With a variety of wattages, shapes and sizes, these lamps are the perfect alternatives to incandescent lamps."Some of the shapes include 2-Pin, 4-Pin, Biax®, 2D®, Spiral®, Biax®, Decorative, Reflectors, 2D®, Circlite®." 1 These are produced by General Electric.
Nick Accomando
CFL lightbulbs
after rigorous research from google.com, i found that compact florescent lightbulb are a great way to save energy. each bulb has a 10,000 hour life span, and a 23 watt CFL bulb is just as bright as a 100 watt normal bulb. these spiral wonders are a terrific way to conserve energy and help our planet. its the little simple things such as changing your lightbulbs that make a world of difference.
Dan Fontana
Dan Fontana
Thursday, March 1, 2007
How do compact fluorescent Light Bulbs generate light? How do incandescent light bulbs generate light?
Rebecca Kay
Environmental Science
Passaic County Community College
March 1, 2007
Environmental Science
Passaic County Community College
March 1, 2007
Question: How do compact fluorescent Light Bulbs generate light? How do incandescent light bulbs generate light?
Answer:
Answer:
Compact fluorescent light bulbs
Compact fluorescent light bulbs are made of two parts, the tube in which is filled with gas and the ballast. The glass tube is filled with small amounts of mercury. The glass is coated on the interior with a layer of white phosphor. The electric current or the magnetic current flows through the ballast and then through the gas and then omits a white light.
Electronic ballast of a compact fluorescent lamp
http://www.answers.com/topic/compact-fluorescent-light-bulb
http://www.lightbulbdepot.com/Common/helpdocs/compactFluorescentBulbBase.jpg
Incandescent light bulbs
“An electrical current passes through a thin filament, heating it and causing it to become excited, releasing thermally equilibrated photons in the process. The enclosing glass bulb prevents the oxygen in air from reaching the hot filament, which otherwise would be destroyed rapidly by oxidation.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incandescent_light_bulb
http://home.howstuffworks.com/light-bulb.htm
If I drop a bulb and it breaks, is there any harm from mercury contamination? And how do I dispose of the broken pieces of the bulb?
Margaret Barker
March 1, 2007
Environmental Science
Passaic County Community College
Compact fluorescent bulbs contain small amounts of mercury. The mercury poses no threat while in the bulb, but if you break one of these bulbs, be careful and do not inhale the mercury, Using a wet rag, clean it up immediately and put the rag as well as the broken pieces into a plastic bag.
Although household CFL bulbs can be disposed of within regular trash pickups, they are categorized as household hazardous waste. As long as the waste is sent to a modern landfill, the hazard to the environment is limited. However, CFL’s should not be sent to an incinerator. The mercury would be dispersed into the atmosphere if the bulb would be burned.
It is suggested that you save old CFLs until your town or county holds a hazardous waste collection day. The collected bulbs would then be sent to facilities capable of treating, recovering or recycling them. If you are interested in obtaining any additional information on the disposal or recycling of CFLs contact your local municipality.
For additional information on CFLs go to www:eartheasy.com/live_energyeff_lighting.htm#3c
March 1, 2007
Environmental Science
Passaic County Community College
Compact fluorescent bulbs contain small amounts of mercury. The mercury poses no threat while in the bulb, but if you break one of these bulbs, be careful and do not inhale the mercury, Using a wet rag, clean it up immediately and put the rag as well as the broken pieces into a plastic bag.
Although household CFL bulbs can be disposed of within regular trash pickups, they are categorized as household hazardous waste. As long as the waste is sent to a modern landfill, the hazard to the environment is limited. However, CFL’s should not be sent to an incinerator. The mercury would be dispersed into the atmosphere if the bulb would be burned.
It is suggested that you save old CFLs until your town or county holds a hazardous waste collection day. The collected bulbs would then be sent to facilities capable of treating, recovering or recycling them. If you are interested in obtaining any additional information on the disposal or recycling of CFLs contact your local municipality.
For additional information on CFLs go to www:eartheasy.com/live_energyeff_lighting.htm#3c
What is the energy efficiency of CFL’s compared with incandescent light bulbs?
The energy efficiency of CFL’s offer many benefits over the old-style incandescent lighting. The twister lights use 75% less energy and money with incandescent lightening. The more modern up to date have a higher quality of light and the color is better. They also come in different temperatures. Since 90% of the energy is used to produce light little of the heat is used and reduces cooling costs. Incandescent light bulbs turn 90% of the energy used into heat and only 10% of the energy into light. Fluorsescent bulbs produce the light up to 8 times longer than standard incandescent bulbs. The twister bulbs contain mercury which is a material that should not be let out to the air of the environment. It came to my attention that the original lights that we use are being used more for electricity than for the actual light. Even when turned off they are using a lot of energy. Why not save money and purchase the CFL lights that are safer and cheaper for your home.
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