Oh dear, it seems that Nanny's green energy crusade has hit something of a wee snag.
What is this snag caused by, can you guess children?
Yes, that's right, Nanny herself!
Nanny's predeliction for low energy (very expensive) lightbulbs is causing Nanny's councils a fair amount of angst.
For why?
These bulbs contain mercury which, as we all know, is toxic. Therefore, there is an environmental and health issue as and when the bulbs are disposed of.
The result?
Many councils across the UK are refusing to collect waste low energy bulbs.
Poor old Nanny, if only real life worked in the same manner as her fantasy "paradise"!
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I just put the useless things in my black bags. I don't put anything in the said bag that identifies me so Nanny won't know. I don't want these silly bulbs; they don't do what they're supposed to, they are dim and play havoc with my Menieres disease. I have had to buy even more expensive bulbs because of it, all because nanny won't let me buy the bulbs I have used for decades. I wonder if nanny has shares in the company that makes these useless bulbs; it wouldn't surprise me.
ReplyDeleteIf the councils refuse to collect these lightbulbs, the same councils no doubt that previously trumpeted how great they were, hopw about collecting a large sack full of them, and leaving them at the coucil's H.Q? I bet they would waste no time in disposing of them then, toxic or no toxic! It's about time some councils realised they were there to serve the public, NOT the other way around!
ReplyDeleteWhat I find really laughable is that EVERY fluorescent lamp ever made contains mercury - the operating principle is identical regardless of whether it's 8ft long or a tightly coiled mini tube.
ReplyDeleteHow many broken conventional tubes have been thrown away over the last 50 or more years???
And of course conventional fittings don't get thrown away when the lamp fails - the ballasts usually last for a very long time, and they only contain steel and copper wire, not electronic components made from nasty chemicals...
The mercury hysteria is just that - complete hysteria driven by ignorance. We have used fluorescent strip-lights for the better part of 80 years, yet each fluorescent tube contains a tiny amount of mercury. When electricity is passed through mercury vapour ultraviolet light is produced which causes the phosphors coating the inside of the tube to emit visible light.
ReplyDeleteIf we've chucked away millions of old fluorescent tubes over decades without all of us succumbing to mercury poisoning how come compact fluorescent bulbs, which contain an even more minuscule amount of mercury, suddenly threaten the extinction of the human race?
The usual problem. Decisions made by collar-and-tie types without any scientific knowledge.
Tonk, you can buy 30 watt CFLs which are every bit as bright as a 150W filament bulb. I have a daylight version which I use to help alleviate SAD. Don't take any notice of claims that a CFL is equivalent to a filament lamp of 10 times the power. Five times is more representative.
DTW;
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for the info, I shall look at the bulbs you mention.
DTW;
ReplyDeleteI didn't realise what CFL stood for......It is the fact that they are fluorescent tubes that is the problem because they strobe very quickly when on.
I have had to purchase LED daylight bulbs which are very expensive, but were the suggestion of my consultant. Many medical charities have problems with the new bulbs including both The Menieres Society and the Migraine Society but sadly, Nanny did not listen to us.
I hope the price of these led bulbs will come down in the future but, in the meantime, if you aor anyone else know of a non strobing cheaper alternative, I am all ears;-)
Tonk said
ReplyDelete"It is the fact that they are fluorescent tubes that is the problem because they strobe very quickly when on."
Compact fluorescents can't strobe as they have high-frequency ballasts. Conventional fluorescents running at mains frequency will flicker at 50Hz when the tube eventually wears out. Bear in the mind that some small fluorescent fittings have mains frequency ballasts, but all the types that replace ordinary bulbs have HF ballasts.
High-power LEDs are an emerging technology which is why they are costly, but bear in mind that they last anything from 50,000 to 100,000 hours.
You can also buy what look like ordinary bulbs that contain a halogen capsule. These aren't as efficient as CFLs but do save power compared with conventional bulbs. Halogen light is a much more brilliant light than that from ordinary filament lamps and gives a very attractive "sparkling" effect in cut-glass shades. You can buy halogen bulbs in the candle shape as well. My work-light is a halogen type.
By the way, the big CFL I use to fend off SAD is a full-spectrum daylight-simulation type.
Info here: http://cpc.farnell.com/pro-lite/helix-30w-bc-64/lamp-daylight-6400k-30w-bc/dp/LP02793
DTW:
ReplyDeleteLooked at the link....Looks interesting....I will give it a go.
Many thanks.