Energy Saving Light Bulbs 'Contain Cancer Causing Chemicals'

reply to post by burntheships


Folks need to get informed about the environment and economic issues and massive corruption within the green movement.

We have this light bulb issue - a major of these bulbs is who? GE

Electric cars and lead polution
www.lead.org.au...

Ethanol and nitogen oxide. Who runs the ethanol industry? Big Oil and Big Agra
www.usatoday.com...

The economic issues surrounding wind energy, which could not exist without heavy subsidies
Who is the largest supplier of wind energy infrastructure? GE
www.eoearth.org...(EROI)_for_wind_energy

While these initiatives might be good and on balance make good policy choices, we have yet to have a full public vetting of them with respect to their economic and environmental impact. Those studies need to include the entire value chain of the energy source, from manufacturing to disposal, not merely the run rate impact. All we hear about is the run rate production of polution. Electric cars are great, until you have to stick the old battery into the ground, then they're not so great

Right now, carbon based fuels are bad and everything else is good. Which energy solution is best is a complex matter which needs to factor in environment and economic impact. When was the last time, if ever you heard a detailed study of the environmenta impact of electric cars and the solid waste issues? When was the last time you heard a detailed report about how wind energy is simply not an economically viable alternative absent heavy government subsidies?

Lets make good, well informed decisions with respect to public policy. Oil = bad is simplistic. The "green energy" sources are not simply good choices because they are not based on fossil fuels. Green energy is as much about corporate corruption as the oil business. Its about time the facade was ripped off this entire industry so that informed choices could be made

Who is making money off of green energy? A lot of folks and they are making a lot of money.

Originally posted by ThaLoccster
I have used those bulbs since around 2006.

I've haven't had an increase in headaches, rashes, or ringing in my ears.

I did have a decrease in every electric bill since I began using them. The first house I used them in, just adding the lights dropped my light bill by 30$ per month.

ETA:

It could be true, they could cause a number of ilnesses. I would like to see if these scientists are in any way linked to or funded by power/electric companies.

Seriously 1 million people saving 30$ a month takes a chunk out of your profit.

edit on 4/20/2011 by ThaLoccster because: (no reason given)

Sorry to buff you but i am not believing your claim.

Originally posted by Jordan River
you mean no one knew it was mercury in those bulbs? wow ats, you suck

I was wondering if the thread was about mercury when I saw the title, but unlike you, I read the link and found out it's not about the mercury, though they happen to mention that also. The mercury is supposed to be safely sealed inside as long as you don't break the bulb and I'm pretty careful to not break them. But this study claims the bulbs emit other toxins while they are being used. If there's anything to get down on some posters to this thread about, it's to accept this one report as if it must be the gospel truth. Maybe it is or maybe it isn't but it's not conclusive and I don't find it particularly credible.

Originally posted by ThaLoccster
I have used those bulbs since around 2006.

I've haven't had an increase in headaches, rashes, or ringing in my ears.

I did have a decrease in every electric bill since I began using them. The first house I used them in, just adding the lights dropped my light bill by 30$ per month.

I've been using them for longer than that, and I don't get migraines or any other symptoms they're talking about.

I would like to see if these scientists are in any way linked to or funded by power/electric companies.

There is plenty of reason to be skeptical of their report even if they aren't linked to power companies. As the article said, their results need to be confirmed. And I don't know of anything that makes them different than the standard fluorescent bulbs that have been used for decades, other than the shape of the bulb and maybe some enhancements to the color. I'd have to disagree with that article that they're all blue, the straight fluorescent tubes come in multiple color spectra and so do the compact fluorescent bulbs:

www.nvisioncfl.com...
You can see there alternatives to the daylight color.

Originally posted by beezzer
So, the only way to safely use these is to not turn them on, don't screw them in, don't take them out of the box, and use tallow-candles in case it gets dark.

Got it.

I love candle light.

Win-Win.

If it comes down to a choice between these and candles.... I'll buy a home candle making kit

reply to post by pianopraze


I thought about that, but you gotta be really careful with candles though. One screw up and your house could be burnt to the ground. That would suck major ass.

Originally posted by TKDRL
I thought about that, but you gotta be really careful with candles though. One screw up and your house could be burnt to the ground. That would suck major ass.

Not only that, but have you analyzed the soot from a burning candle? How do you know that has less toxins in it than what the CFL bulb is emitting? I suspect it has more!

Toxins in Burning Candles, Candle Wicks, and Incense

The toxins released to light a CFL bulb happen at the coal burning power plant, and some power plants scrub those toxins out of the air before they are released, though not all.

And the incandescent bulbs use roughly 5 times the electricity so they in reality emit 5 times the toxins of the CFL bulbs at the source power plant where the coal is burned. This OP article doesn't even address that fact, does it?

That's a major fail.

Originally posted by Arbitrageur
Not only that, but have you analyzed the soot from a burning candle? How do you know that has less toxins in it than what the CFL bulb is emitting? I suspect it has more!

Heh, thats funny then...
The EPA should be all over candles...

Where are the candle police?

Back to the CFL bulbs...

Phenol, naphthalene and styrene, nasty stuff to be coming off of a lightbulb!

reply to post by Arbitrageur


It's easy to get candle making materials without lead in the wicks.

Disinformation fail

Cancer is a rather recent man-made plague: Nature article.

Candles have been safely made for thousands of years. These bulbs are dangerous for many reasons.

ETA: your link does go to show how the big companies are poisoning us though

reply to post by Arbitrageur


How do you recycle one of these wonder bulbs in an environmentally friendly way?
Do you justify their use by suggesting that they're safe if you don't break them? How many get broken?
It's a pretty common occurrence so how do you detoxify YOUR house when one of these has broken?

For the past few years of using energy saving light bulbs I have noticed an odd, faint smell when walking past them when switched on for a length of time. Is this why in the uk they gave out these light bulbs for free? I always get suspicious when we are given something for nothing. The cancer treatment industry is big business.

just throwing this out there, but the new bulbs are like 10 watt, and the old ones are 60-100 watt. Well the old ones give off heat. So on top of having lights on, its helping give some heat (brr its Canada up here, and snowing today!! 20cms)

So how are the new ones energy saving? They give us sickness, they DONT glow as bright and are much harsher, and when they break, you need to call in the army to get rid of them?

This world is so backward, I dont know where to begin. I will never buy the new twisty bulbs. In fact I may break one (accidently on purpose) in a store and see how they clean it up. You know with the mercury and all..

reply to post by SpaceMonkeys


Yes, that nasty smell!

This is what that nasty smell is comprised of!

While it is already known that harmful amounts of Mercury are released if one of the new 'green' bulbs is broken, the latest research shows other carcinogenic chemicals are emitted when they are switched on.
The German research shows that the chemicals are released as a form of steam.

The harmful substances include phenol - a poison injected by the Nazis to kill thousands of concentration camp victims during World War II - and the human toxins naphthalene and styrene. UK Daily Mail

Why is it only on ATS that people are complanibg about these builbs?
some one is stoping this and the mecury poison.

Originally posted by burntheships

Energy Saving Light Bulbs 'Contain Cancer Causing Chemicals'

www.telegraph.co.uk

Fears have been reignited about the safety of energy saving light bulbs after a group of scientists warned that they contain cancer causing chemicals.

Their report advises that the bulbs should not be left on for extended periods, particularly near someone’s head, as they emit poisonous materials when switched on.

(visit the link for the full news article)


Related News Links:
www.telegraph.co.uk
www.telegraph.co.uk

Just another lefty WHACKJOB idea that sounds great on paper, but blows up when it hits the real world.

We like some posters here cannot stand the new bulbs, I myself cannot read by one as It strains my eyes real bad.
In our bedroom our bedside lamps have regular bulbs (50/100/150 w) and they are unbeatable for reading.
Our outdoor motion/security lights have halogen 45 w bulbs in them right now and go on instantly if something sets them off.
Now I see in the stores here CFL bulbs for security lights?
Can someone tell me if they go on instantly for security reasons?
Last I hear they take a bit to warm up to the top brightness.
Not too handy if it is a prowler they are supposed to shine on.
Anyways we too have stocked up on regular light bulbs here big time actually, electricity bill be dammed I want to see and read.
To the OP great thread and great read....S&F
Regards, Iwinder

reply to post by buddha


Are you living in a cave man?

Catherine Hessett...Co-ordinator of the Spectrum Alliance of charities which help light-sensitive people. She reports that 250,000 people in UK had already reported adverse heath effects from use of the new biulbs, even before this week's news. "Bad advice has led to bad law and it is making people very ill", she says, referring to the ban on incandescent bulbs.

Originally posted by leo123

Just another lefty WHACKJOB idea that sounds great on paper, but blows up when it hits the real world.

Hilarious, you MUST be talking about the MERCURY in the lightbulbs.



EVACUATE!!

Originally posted by dolphinfan
Green energy is as much about corporate corruption as the oil business. Its about time the facade was ripped off this entire industry so that informed choices could be made

Who is making money off of green energy? A lot of folks and they are making a lot of money.

Great Post dolphinfan!

Someone is making a killing off of these bulbs..

And another thing I wonder about...why do they ignore the mercury in these light bulbs?

Each bulb contains a small amount of mercury. You know, the element that greenies get hysterical over when even miniscule traces show up in tuna or other seafood. They insist that coal-fired electrical plants must be shut down because they produce relatively small amounts of mercury. Yet, many of the same activists are advocating that billions of traditional incandescent light bulbs be replaced with mercury-containing CFLs. In fact, they joined with GE in a multi-million dollar lobbying campaign to pressure Congress to mandate that Americans must switch all of our light bulbs. But what happens to the environment when billions of CFLs are disposed of in landfills? And what happens when one breaks a CFL in the home, office, hospital, or school classroom?
www.thenewamerican.com...

The dark side of the CFL Lightbulb

Originally posted by Deebo
Not only that, I had one of those new ones before, and about 2 weeks later it caught on fire and partially melted. Good thing I was home and smelt that electrical smell. Damn things are not safe.


Deebo

hmmm, I had the same smell awhile ago and was wondering what it was, I was concerned it was my computer but now I'm thinking it was the lightbulb.