Incandescent Lightbulbs in Arg: Now Illegal?

Incandescent light bulbs are history and are being phased out even in the U.S.(in a year or so you won't be able to buy them). They are inefficient and obsolete. You might want to keep a few to show to future generations.
 
I'm also very much in favor of CF lights.
Next generation will be the LED ones !
 
French jurist said:
About mercury : mercury doesn't leak and isn't released in nature for as long as the bulb remains intact. At worst, store the bulb once it doesn't work anymore (same with batteries, prescription drugs, etc.).

Also, since regular bulbs need 5 times more energy than CF ones, that's 10 grams of mercury that is released in nature during the life cycle of a regular bulb versus 3 grams for CF ones. Considering that CF bulbs contain 2 to 5 milligrams of mercury, all in all, regular bulbs release 3 times more mercury in nature than CF ones.
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And what do you think happens when people throw the CFL bulbs in the trash? How many Argentines do you think will recycle theirs? Like 1%? CFL bulbs will lead to huge increase of mercury in the environment. As if it wasn't bad enough already.

And how exactly is mercury released in the environment when energy is harnessed?
 
xibeca said:
And what do you think happens when people throw the CFL bulbs in the trash? How many Argentines do you think will recycle theirs? Like 1%? CFL bulbs will lead to huge increase of mercury in the environment. As if it wasn't bad enough already.

And how exactly is mercury released in the environment when energy is harnessed?
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These light bulbs are a joke. They burn out long before thier "guaranteed" life.

I asked about DISPOSAL (not recycle) here. All I got was a few shrugs.
 
steveinbsas said:
These light bulbs are a joke. They burn out long before thier "guaranteed" life.

I asked about DISPOSAL (not recycle) here. All I got was a few shrugs.
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My bad. I meant to say disposal, not recycle.

I don't know if they are a joke, but they sure are an environmental hazard.

Regarding disposal; I asked some places that sell them if they could take care of my used CFL bulb for disposal, and they all refused.
 
French jurist said:
About mercury : mercury doesn't leak and isn't released in nature for as long as the bulb remains intact. At worst, store the bulb once it doesn't work anymore (same with batteries, prescription drugs, etc.).

Also, since regular bulbs need 5 times more energy than CF ones, that's 10 grams of mercury that is released in nature during the life cycle of a regular bulb versus 3 grams for CF ones. Considering that CF bulbs contain 2 to 5 milligrams of mercury, all in all, regular bulbs release 3 times more mercury in nature than CF ones.
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The mercury in a CFL lamp is more precisely mercury vapour, which is released into the air as soon as the glass is broken. The affected room needs to be aired out immediately. Storing the broken lamp afterwards ought to be in an airtight container.
Any residual mercury in the bulb may go into the ground and ground-water (the amount of water that can be contaminated by the mercury content of one regular bulb is equal to 22712.47 cubic liters / 6000 US gallons).

The Canadian gov. won't get behind systematic obligation to use these "modern miracles" because they have not been deemed safe to the public health (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/prod/cfl-afc-eng.php). I am sure that the EPA has similar findings.

Trying to get any kind of info on hazardous waste disposal (mercury from a broken thermometer in particular) has not been easy and what I have found is only serves mining industry operations. I tried to get an answer from a local fire-dept (as per many recommendations) and the exasperated woman who answered my call told me to just sweep it up or try wipe it down with a damp cloth :confused: WTF... IT"S A HEAVY METAL NOT SPILLED MILK.
Mercury, even a tiny amount, can get trapped in a crack or under the floor moldings and begin to turn into harmful vapour at room temperature, emitting this vapour for YEARS. The list of infirmities is long.
http://www.epa.gov/mercury/effects.htm#elem
Seems that people here are either not concerned or educated about household pollutants and/or manufacturers and retailers are not forthcoming about public/client health... or maybe the insurance companies need to come down hard on those that provide toxic and potentially poisonous (read, revocation of coverage for improper labeling, or failure to label hazardous products).

Cheers
Gab
 
Who hasn't played with mercury as a kid??

We turned out fine! :eek: Most of us. :rolleyes:


Those broken bulbs are going to end up in the trash, especially in Argentina where most areas don't have any type of consistent recycling or disposal program... so I do hope these bulbs are not overly toxic. Not that it'd be the first time public health was put at the mercy of lobbying groups...

If I was given the choice between "safe but electricity guzzler" or "possibly poisonous but save money on electricity" I'd have to go with the former. Generally I'm pretty good about not wasting electricity, I think I should be able splurge on regular bulbs if I want to.
 
A follow up on my 32 Argentine produced OSRAM bulbs, bought in September 2010: One died yesterday, the other 31 are still in excellent working condition.

Buy them in a supermarket, where you can test them yourself (at least) 14 seconds each, a standard test. If they survive that, they can be relied on.
 
oh, that's why the chinese supermarkets doesn't sell them anymore...
I wondered for months...
 
gouchobob said:
Incandescent light bulbs are history and are being phased out even in the U.S.(in a year or so you won't be able to buy them). They are inefficient and obsolete. You might want to keep a few to show to future generations.
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Incandescant blubs of 25 watts or less are still available.
 
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