The Truth About Compact Fluorescents
- Posted by Justin Higgins on March 19th, 2008 in
I've had some quiet reservations about the massive use of Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs), but nothing major until recently. A while ago I wrote about CFLs damaging my laptop, but that was nothing more than a joke. The new evidence about the damage CFLs can do however is not a joking matter. Via Ed Morrissey of Hot Air:
Compact fluorescent light bulbs, long touted by environmentalists as a more efficient and longer-lasting alternative to the incandescent bulbs that have lighted homes for more than a century, are running into resistance from waste industry officials and some environmental scientists, who warn that the bulbs’ poisonous innards pose a bigger threat to health and the environment than previously thought. …
As long as the mercury is contained in the bulb, CFLs are perfectly safe. But eventually, any bulbs — even CFLs — break or burn out, and most consumers simply throw them out in the trash, said Ellen Silbergeld, a professor of environmental health sciences at Johns Hopkins University and editor of the journal Environmental Research.
“This is an enormous amount of mercury that’s going to enter the waste stream at present with no preparation for it,” she said.
How bad is the mercury problem? According to Ed, each individual bulb can contaminate thousands of gallons of water, putting trace amounts of mercury into our water supply that can be very toxic. Also, there's a huge problem when it comes to disposal. Perhaps Rush was right about these things afterall. Glenn, any thoughts on the matter?
Justin's Crap about Fluorescents
Ah, more of the usual malarkey from Justin Higgins, lying warpimp extraordinaire. As usual, whenever Justin takes to his keyboard, the manure is spread thick.
The prevailing wingnut meme is that compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) are bad bad bad bad bad because they contain mercury, and when the bulbs are broken, the mercury will leach out and poison the air and water. But as with all of the pernicious crap that comes out of the Mighty Wingnut Wurlitzer™, this one is a grain of fact wrapped in a ton of excrement.
PZ Myers traces this garbage back to junk science promoter and industry shill Steve Milloy, and includes a handy dandy graph that demonstrates that, by using CFLs, mercury emissions into the environment are in fact reduced:
Justin also claims that “there’s a huge problem when it comes to disposal”. Really? Why? CFLs can be easily recycled, like many other forms of household waste:
It’s a huge problem, huge I tell you. No one has any idea whatsoever how we’re going to handle it… Yeah, Justin, okay, whatever. Chicken Little much?
Justin, are you going to issue a correction, or are you going to do what you usually do: ignore the facts, and stick with the bullshit?
That's incredible. These
That's incredible. These libs!!!
http://www/gopcatholics.blogspot.com