Some folks ought to know better. “WARNING: This newsletter
contains GRAPHIC images” declares the lead story of the Salisbury, MD Fire
Department’s April 2012 Training Newsletter. (The actual story title is
“Energy-saving Bulb Dangers,” but this humble warning pales in comparison.) Over
the course of the next two pages,where you can learn about fluorescentlightt as well as
buy your bike lights online. we are treated to pictures of a horribly-disfigured
human foot belonging to one “Mr. Smith” who allegedly dropped a compact
fluorescent (CFL) bulb and then stepped “barefooted, into the broken glass and
exposed mercury.”
If you wish to view these graphic images (you have been warned!), there is a link to a PDF version here. Or you can view the images and a critical analysis of the mercury poisoning claim here. In short, there is no credible evidence that the graphic pictures have anything to do with mercury poisoning. In fact, we have no idea where the pictures were taken, or when,Bellacor offers a large selection of lightproject for your yard or patio. or what condition is actually depicted. It’s all just Internet hearsay. Let’s dig a little deeper…
The Salisbury article concludes: “Mercury is a toxin, and should be treated with the utmost of care and respect. A CFL may look benign, and make you feel good about ‘going green,We provide high quality ledflashlight Led module led strip led bulbs.’ but once the poison is ‘out of its box’ and able to cause an exposure, it’s a brand new deal. Stay Safe folks!” Well, surely this is true… I mean, it’s an official local fire department publication! Or, as the old joke goes: “It must be true. I read it on the Internet!”
When in doubt, always go to the most-credible authoritative source. Is the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) credible enough? The article itself claims that the EPA recommends ventilating the room for a “MINIMUM of 15 minutes” if a CFL bulb is broken. So let’s go to the EPA, and specifically, to their CFL information page. The first link, “Precautions to take when a CFL breaks,” takes us to a page that advises: “Air out the room for 5-10 minutes by opening a window or door to the outdoor environment.” Hmmm… first indication of a problem.See and Be Seen on the streets with the best bestledlighting system. Already, the “facts” don’t quite jive.
But let’s cut right to the chase. The EPA’s fact sheet (PDF), “Frequently Asked Questions—Information on Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs) and Mercury” states that “CFLs contain a very small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing – an average of 4 milligrams (mg). By comparison, older thermometers contain about 500 milligrams of mercury –an amount equal to the mercury in 125 CFLs [emphasis mine].” If this amount of mercury truly is something to worry about, why aren’t fire departments waging a war on older thermometers?
Don’t get me wrong: exposure to mercury can be dangerous and should be avoided. But we need to assess relative risk realistically, and not vilify energy-saving CFLs. Once upon a time, when I was very young, I actually ate one of those old-style thermometers—consuming, as we have seen, the equivalent mercury of 125 CFLs. Aside from a propensity to rant about the need for critical thinking, I turned out all right. So if you break a CFL,The outdoorlightxx includes a waterproof washer and a light transmitting lens, both locked and located ... there is no need to freak out.
If you wish to view these graphic images (you have been warned!), there is a link to a PDF version here. Or you can view the images and a critical analysis of the mercury poisoning claim here. In short, there is no credible evidence that the graphic pictures have anything to do with mercury poisoning. In fact, we have no idea where the pictures were taken, or when,Bellacor offers a large selection of lightproject for your yard or patio. or what condition is actually depicted. It’s all just Internet hearsay. Let’s dig a little deeper…
The Salisbury article concludes: “Mercury is a toxin, and should be treated with the utmost of care and respect. A CFL may look benign, and make you feel good about ‘going green,We provide high quality ledflashlight Led module led strip led bulbs.’ but once the poison is ‘out of its box’ and able to cause an exposure, it’s a brand new deal. Stay Safe folks!” Well, surely this is true… I mean, it’s an official local fire department publication! Or, as the old joke goes: “It must be true. I read it on the Internet!”
When in doubt, always go to the most-credible authoritative source. Is the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) credible enough? The article itself claims that the EPA recommends ventilating the room for a “MINIMUM of 15 minutes” if a CFL bulb is broken. So let’s go to the EPA, and specifically, to their CFL information page. The first link, “Precautions to take when a CFL breaks,” takes us to a page that advises: “Air out the room for 5-10 minutes by opening a window or door to the outdoor environment.” Hmmm… first indication of a problem.See and Be Seen on the streets with the best bestledlighting system. Already, the “facts” don’t quite jive.
But let’s cut right to the chase. The EPA’s fact sheet (PDF), “Frequently Asked Questions—Information on Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs) and Mercury” states that “CFLs contain a very small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing – an average of 4 milligrams (mg). By comparison, older thermometers contain about 500 milligrams of mercury –an amount equal to the mercury in 125 CFLs [emphasis mine].” If this amount of mercury truly is something to worry about, why aren’t fire departments waging a war on older thermometers?
Don’t get me wrong: exposure to mercury can be dangerous and should be avoided. But we need to assess relative risk realistically, and not vilify energy-saving CFLs. Once upon a time, when I was very young, I actually ate one of those old-style thermometers—consuming, as we have seen, the equivalent mercury of 125 CFLs. Aside from a propensity to rant about the need for critical thinking, I turned out all right. So if you break a CFL,The outdoorlightxx includes a waterproof washer and a light transmitting lens, both locked and located ... there is no need to freak out.
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