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| Citizen Journalism |
| 711 |
| May 12, 2008 - 9:46 p.m. |
| http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/id/univwast/where/index.htm
Fluorescent lights are more energy efficient and have a longer use life than incandescent lights. There are, however, some health and environmental issues associated with the use and disposal of fluorescent light bulbs. Fortunately, recycling of fluorescent bulbs significantly reduces these problems.
There are two parts to fluorescent lights: the bulb and the ballast in the fixture which holds the bulb. Each has its own issues.
Fluorescent light bulbs contain mercury. The standard fluorescent lamp contains approximately 20 milligrams of mercury. While there are no known health hazards from exposure to lamps that are intact, improper disposal of fluorescent lamps can contaminate the environment. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that over 800 million lamps are produced each year to replace 800 million lamps that are then disposed. Since 1 gram of mercury is enough to contaminate a 2-acre pond, there is enough mercury in those lamps to contaminate 20 million acres of water.
Mercury is toxic to the human nervous system. Chronic breathing of mercury vapors can cause a range of physical symptoms, including inability to coordinate body movement and impairment of hearing, speech and vision. Exposure to mercury in other forms can lead to skin rashes and kidney damage.
Elemental mercury that is released to the environment can be deposited into lakes, rivers, and the oceans where a biological process takes place in which the mercury is converted into methylmercury, a highly toxic organic form of mercury. The methylmercury is then consumed by various animals in the food chain where it bioaccumulates, concentrating to higher and higher levels in larger animals. Consumption of larger mammals could cause elevated levels of methylmercury in humans, resulting in neurological damage to unborn children. According to estimates by the National Wildlife Federation, 85,000 U.S. women of childbearing age in a given year are exposed to elevated methylmercury levels sufficient to affect the brain development of their babies.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/01/22/america/fish.php?page=1
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