Compact Flourescent Lightbulbs - CFLs

[cube]

Hi,

Do any of you have a policy relayed to tenants regarding the careful clean up required following the breaking of a CFL.

The clean-up needs to be carefully done to avoid exposure to the mercury that is contained in the bulb.

The Maine DEP carried out tests (detailed here, and covered in this months Investigate Magazine), and their subsequent recommended clean-up process is detailed here: http://www.state.me.us/dep/rwm/homeo.../appendixe.pdf

Investigate makes the point that, over a number of years, it could be expected that a number of breakages could occur, leading to a build up in mercury deposits in the carpet and furnishings, which gets spread in to the air each time someone vacuums or otherwise disturbs the surface.

Investigate being Investigate, they see a conspiracy behind the Govts. intention to phase out incandescent bulbs in the next couple of years (so much for soft lighting using a dimmer switch!), but the concerns they raise over the problem of clean up seem to be justified.

cube.

[Riviera]

This is just another tree hugging exercise by a deranged Labour government. The impact of the energy effienct lamps is a joke. By the time people collect used mercury based flouro's and recycle them the cost in carbon credits will be great, there is know where to recycle in New Zealand so people will have to take them to a recycling depot probaly in there cars, then they will have to be airfreighted to Oz for desposal. Really great for the enviroment. My guess is most will just end up in the tip. Once again great for the eviroment. On the subject of not being able to use your dimmers my way around it is going to be to stock pile a heap of lamps before it comes into law. But then again by the time it is passed we probaly won't be allow to use electricity for fear of electro magnetic radiation. Bring on National!!!!

[Jumpin]

Actually I would ban my tenant from using these terrible devices. The so-called savers are at best an intermediate technology with dubious advantage over the traditional light source. They will cost you more because they are more expensive and do not last any longer than a traditional incandescent bulb. Did you know the longest lived lightbulb is an incandescent?: http://www.centennialbulb.org/

Data produced for the CFL's is done similarly to that bulb, ie it is left switched on for however many 000 hrs they want. If you use the bulb as most people do, ie switch it on and off several times a day, then the life is suddenly reduced. And you are right, if tenants break these things you may be unable to rent your house again if someone measured the mercury level. I certainly wouldnt want my kids exposed to mercury in the home.

The good news is that LED technology is improving rapidly and may soon be able to replace all lighting at a fraction of the power consumption.

[Perry]

This is just another tree hugging exercise by a deranged Labour government.

I suspect that it's not confined to that lot. It's a common
business axiom that a small saving in a big expense equals
big bucks.

On average, lighting accounts for 5-7% of the electricity
bill. Even a 70% saving is peanuts on the total electricity
bill. I've also noted that some tenants leave their CFLs on,
all day!

Hot water, cooking and space heating are the gobblers.
Just a 15% saving there is a fistful of dollars.

Anyone got any comparative figures for heat pumps vs
electrical fan/oil/bar heaters, etc., for space heating?

[cube]

Yay! http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=10546106

A proposal to phase out incandescent lightbulbs is extremely unlikely to go ahead under the new National Government.

Prime Minister John Key stood by National's policy in opposition against the Labour Government's plan to implement a new standard for lightbulbs, which would see old incandescent lightbulbs phased out by the end of next year.

"We have real concerns about telling people that they have to move to energy efficient light bulbs by decree," he said.

"We want to encourage people to do that, we think there may be benefits for them to do it, but it should be a choice they make as consumers."

Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee last week said he had asked Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority officials to look into a proposed phase out of incandescent lightbulbs.

Yesterday he said officials' work was continuing and an announcement would be made "in due course".

[Perry]

No mention of the mercury content.
Again. Roll on large-output LEDs.