Are Mercury Light Bulbs Causing Sickness for Workers?
- CFLs pose less of a breakage hazard than old fashioned thermometers.old medical instrument, mercury thermometer image by Astroid from Fotolia.com
An article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal debunks many of the questions surrounding CFLs. Their light does not cause melanoma, and bulbs do not contain enough mercury to harm individuals when the bulbs break. - Recycle mercury containing bulbs whenever possible.recycle in black background image by Kirubeshwaran from Fotolia.com
A concern with mercury containing bulbs is disposal. Many of these bulbs will end up in landfills. Posing a possible long term health problem. Try to recycle when possible. Stores, such as IKEA home furnishing, often have a recycling program. - Mercury containing bulbs use less energy.heat and power plant image by Alexander Maksimov from Fotolia.com
The primary reason for using mercury-containing light bulbs is they use less energy. According to numbers from Energy Star.gov, lighting accounts for 20 percent of home energy use. CFL's can cut that use by up to 75 percent. They also produce less heat than incandescent bulbs, reducing the risk of burns and fires.
