Friday, July 11, 2008

A Public Service Announcement

I'm stunned regarding a news piece I saw this morning on fluorescent light bulbs. They are suppose to be longer lasting, more efficient and all around better for your home and the environment. Or are they? Just drop and break one of them and the mercury inside will kill you or leave you seriously sick. Here is the news clip I saw this morning on proper disposal if broken.

I checked the EPA website for confirmation.

Step 4 states:
"If clothing or bedding materials come in direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from inside the bulb that may stick to the fabric, the clothing or bedding should be thrown away. Do not wash such clothing or bedding because mercury fragments in the clothing may contaminate the machine and/or pollute sewage."
There are reports that the old fashioned incandescent light bulbs will be phased out by 2012 which means I better start stocking up now! Not only is the light from the fluorescent bulbs highly unpleasant and makes a constant humming noise, now I learn it's hazardous to the health of my family. I suppose it's perfectly safe as long as you don't break one....which of course, never happens.

All this talk about the dangers of mercury in the seafood and immunizations but yet we should all replace every light bulb in our home with these fluorescent mercury bombs. Well, I'm not buying it.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Safe seafood is available though! For the first time there is a company that doesn’t rely on only the age of the fish caught to claim that it is lower in mercury than FDA action levels. Safe Harbor guarantees that the fish it certifies is lower than FDA action levels because it tests every large fin fish released under the Safe Harbor brand. For the first time I am 100% confident about the safety of the seafood I eat and buy for my family. All their mercury certification levels are available online, along with details about their testing process and where their product is available at http://www.safeharborfoods.com
Check them out and enjoy the health benefits of seafood without worry!