Energy-saving light bulbs are a good thing, right?

CFL bulbs

Incandescent light bulbs lose up to 80% of their power in excess heat. So phasing them out and replacing them all over the world with CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps) to save energy is a good thing, right?

From 2009 in the UK, and from 2010 in the USA, it will be illegal to manufacture incandescent bulbs. Not illegal to own them or use them, though, so millions of energetically aware people are currently stockpiling them for future usage.

Similar legislation has been, or will be, introduced in many other countries. It’s soon going to become very hard to find incandescent light bulbs to buy.

So what could possibly be wrong with saving 80% heat loss? Well, nothing, except that at the moment the only alternative to incandescents is CFLs, which are not the best replacement by a long way.

Mercury content

Take the mercury content of these bulbs for a start. Some manufacturers are now investing in research to reduce the mercury content but the fact remains that if you accidentally break one of these bulbs, the US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) safety instructions are as follows:

Before cleanup: Vent the room

  • Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.

(My question: What if the breakage happens in the type of room where windows have been designed never to open or in a public place that cannot reasonably be evacuated for such a trifling cause?)

  • Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one.

(My question: What if this happens in a large open plan office complex – will they really let you evacuate the entire floor and turn off the system for the whole building?)
Cleanup steps for hard surfaces

  • Carefully scoop up glass fragments and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
  • Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
  • Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes and place them in the glass jar or plastic bag.
  • Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.

Cleanup steps for carpeting or rug

  • Carefully pick up glass fragments and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.

(My comment: A study conducted in 2008 by the Department of Environmental Protection in Maine found that plastic bags leach mercury vapours that are well above recommended safe levels so they recommend that only glass jars with metal lids are used. But this assumes that glass jars won’t break when thrown in the garbage…)

  • Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
  • If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken.
  • Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic bag.

Disposal of cleanup materials

  • Immediately place all cleanup materials outside the building in a trash container or outdoor protected area for the next normal trash.
  • Wash your hands after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing cleanup materials.
  • Check with your local or state government about disposal requirements in your specific area. Some states prohibit such trash disposal and require that broken and unbroken lamps be taken to a recycling center.

(My question: How many people are really going to be bothered to take or send broken bulbs to a household hazardous waste center? Estimates at the moment are that only about 3% do.)

Future cleaning of carpeting or rug

  • For at least the next few times you vacuum, shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system and open a window prior to vacuuming

Even though CFLs have been on sale for many years, most people are completely unaware of these clean-up precautions and just toss broken bulbs in the garbage along with everything else. The mercury is sure to seep into the landfill and find its way into the food chain. It’s not an ‘if’ situation, it’s only a matter of time.

Also most people don’t realize that the amount of mercury released into a room by one broken bulb can exceed the U.S. federal guidelines for chronic exposure by up to 300 times all in one hit. The 2008 Maine DEP study found that even following this very specific clean-up programme, high levels of mercury still remain in carpet and children playing on it could release toxic spikes of up to 25,000ng/m3 of air several weeks later (this is more than 80 times the level considered safe). Children are particularly susceptible to mercury, and exposure can cause severe neurological development problems.

So mercury leakage is a big problem, but there’s more.

Health effects

CFLs also flicker and emit radio frequencies. With some bulbs the noise is within the range that can be heard as a constant, irritating, low buzzing noise. Others are quieter but within the hearing range of pets. No one knows the prolonged effect of living and working in places that are constantly flickering, buzzing and pulsing with radio frequencies, but some studies have shown serious health effects.

In the UK, as an example, the British Association of Dermatologists, the Migraine Action Association, and Epilepsy Action, have all independently reported symptoms such as headaches, migraines, fatigue, confusion, dizziness, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), eyestrain, nausea and various skin disorders among members who have used CFLs.  Other studies have shown that CFLs cause muscle and joint pain, sleep disorders, respiratory problems, rashes, anxiety, depression, physical pain in people who suffer from lupus, and dizziness, loss of focus and discomfort among epileptics.

Professor Magda Havas of Trent University, Ontario, one of the world’s leading researchers on the biological effects of EMFs, explains that “CFLs operate at high frequency using an electronic switching ballast to chop up the 120 volts – that’s how they are able to use less energy when compared to incandescent bulbs. Their typical operating frequency is in the region of 20kHz to 100kHz, a frequency range known to produce adverse effects on health.”

Not only that but she states that “CFLs produce radio wave frequencies that radiate directly from the bulbs and also go on the electrical wiring in the home or school. The closer you sit to the bulb, the greater your exposure. Because the high frequencies travel along the wire, you can be exposed in other rooms of your home as well as in the room that contains the CFL.”

Then there is the colour. The reason why fluorescent lights emit such a cold, ghostly hue of white is because they are at the blue end of the spectrum, whereas incandescent bulbs are nearer to the red end. Apart from the romantic deficiencies of CFLs, blue spectrum lighting also inhibits melatonin production, the hormone that is essential for sleep and also cancer prevention. A number of reputable studies have found that it is office workers who are constantly exposed to fluorescent lights who are at higher risk for skin cancer whereas people whose main outdoor activity is sunbathing are much less at risk. There are also studies that show how poorly children fare in schools lit with fluorescents and how much brighter (‘scuse the pun) they become when classrooms switch (sorry, another pun) to incandescents.

Energetic effects

Lastly, and most importantly in my view, there is the way CFLs affect us etherically.

We humans do not thrive energetically under fluorescent lighting. Incandescent light bulbs are better, although spiritual practices are best done in natural daylight or by candlelight. But fluorescents are just… well, wrong. Our essential energies recoil from them. The spiritual repercussions of a whole world lit by CFLs are seriously worrying. It’s not just our health that will suffer but deep levels of emotional wellbeing and spiritual development.

In effect, a whole generation could become spiritually stunted. Not entirely because of CFLs, it’s true, but allowing governments to dictate the type of light bulbs we use can have far-reaching consequences I don’t think most people are even aware of. I am something of a lone voice speaking up about this now but I’m sure there will soon be many more scientific studies to support the information I’ve given here.

Copyright © Clear Space Living Ltd, 2008

About Karen Kingston

Karen Kingston is a leading expert in clutter clearing, space clearing, feng shui, and healthy homes. Her two international bestselling books have combined sales of over three million copies in 26 languages and have established themselves as "must-read" classics in their fields. Her best-known title, Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui, is now in its fifth edition. She is best known for her perspective-changing insights and practical solutions that enable more conscious navigation of 21st-century living.
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6 Responses to Energy-saving light bulbs are a good thing, right?

  1. I have known about the mercury issue for a while and kept wondering why no one seems to be addressing how dangerous this is. Especially in homes with small children. What are the best options to use right now then? I guess the incandescent bulbs are less harmful especially if they break. These new CFLs should have some warnings on them about this very dangerous exposure. Thanks for the article and keeping us informed. – Diane

    1. Most people know these days that CFL bulbs need special handling if they break because they contain mercury, but tons still end up in landfill regardless, and as far as I know there are no regulations at all about special handling of LEDs.

      According to a study conducted at UC Irvine in 2011, LED lights contain arsenic, lead, nickel and other toxins. They recommend that ‘when bulbs break at home, residents should sweep them up with a special broom while wearing gloves and a mask’ and ‘crews dispatched to clean up car crashes or broken traffic fixtures should don protective gear and handle the material as hazardous waste.’

      In our home, we use incandescents. They contain no toxic metals at all and are not biased to the blue end of the light spectrum blue light, as LEDs are.

  2. I had NO idea that CFLs had mercury in them or that the EPA had special instructions for cleanup and recycling. It really boggles the mind that the gov’t. has done this. I feel like they’re trying to kill us off with these crazy things that add to toxicity in the environment, Realistically speaking, how many people are recycling them? I’d say very very few people are. Now that I know, I will – and I do think I have some vs. the LEDs. I’m going to look into switching over to LEDs.

  3. You touched a problem bothering me for a long time, and which appears to be worse than I thought. Thank you for the information – I’ll be grateful for more hopeful comments on healthier lighting methods.

  4. You are right. People, like me, are unaware of the mercury hazards or what to do about them. I didn’t know they are discontinuing incandescent bulbs!! Well I will pass it on. Thanks

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