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Feeling that I just can't win, and sick and tired of riding the guilty conscience see-saw, I've gone and done some research. Here’s the dirt:
It's true that energy saving light bulbs do contain mercury. It's also true that mercury is dangerous. It damages the central nervous system and other organs and causes acrodynia (painful mercury poisoning) in small children. If your CFL breaks you should be careful when cleaning it up. (Go to http://energycrisis.co.za/?p=101#more-101 for step by step instructions.) Also, if you throw out these bulbs with the garbage the possibility of that mercury ending up in our drinking water is very real.
So please don't.
But before you rent your clothes and pour ashes on your head while waiting for the end of days, listen to what Dr Matt Prescott, the director of www.banthebulb.org has to say: "The mercury recycling issue associated with CFLs does indeed need to be more adequately addressed by retailers and city councils, but the excess electricity used to power an incandescent releases almost three times more mercury into the atmosphere than the 4mg contained within a CFL. At least with a CFL the mercury is contained and the option of recycling exists."
Which kind of puts it in perspective, doesn't it?
In 2007 Clicks took the giant leap to stop selling incandescent bulbs. Good for them. It shows their true commitment to energy efficiency. Unfortunately, they don't have recycling bins for the CFLs in their stores.
So what now?
And while you're at it do the same for batteries, print cartridges, pesticides and bleach.
Are you energy-savvy? Share your story with other readers in the comment box below.
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| Pick n Pay also has bins in store for recycling CFLs and rechargeable batteries. | ||
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| Nicola on 03 Oct at 12:49 |
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| Time for each and every soul in the world to know the real benefits each of us can make to a future for our grand children to live in. For TOO long we have asked as a collective " What can I do ? " One light bulb, one brilliant future. This simple ! | ||
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| Colin J Fryer on 06 Oct at 14:15 |
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| Only buy CFL from a shop that also have recycle bin for it. That way we will force the shops to recycle. | ||
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| Jan on 06 Oct at 18:23 |
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