Reading through an old newspaper I came about an article of CFL lamps which stated that by Jan 2014, the traditional incandescent bulb will no longer be available to Malaysian consumers. So part of the article mentioned the environmental impact of CFL and incandescent light bulbs. In a recent announcement, Power, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin said the government would stop all production, import and sales of incandescent light bulbs in an initiative to promote more efficient use of electricity thereby reducing the nation’s power consumption.
Well from the Wikipedia I got to know that a compact fluorescent lamp (CFL), also known as a compact fluorescent light or energy saving light (or less commonly as a compact fluorescent tube), is a type of fluorescent lamp. Many CFLs are designed to replace an incandescent lamp and can fit into most existing light fixtures formerly used for incandescent.
So let’s get to know what a CFL is and how it operates and what to do when it breaks. All CFLs contain mercury, a neurotoxin that can cause kidney and brain damage. Just why is mercury present in CFLs and why are other elements not used? The simple reason is that mercury is the most efficient element for the generation of ultraviolet light. While the amount of mercury used in a CFL has decreased in recent years, a small amount is still needed. According to the Australian Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency website (www.environment.gov.au), CFLs have less impact on the environment than incandescent lamps even though they contain mercury. The reason – coal fired power plants release mercury as well. It estimates that a 20W CFL releases about 2.7mg of mercury into the atmosphere during its life time and equivalent use of 100W incandescent lamps releases 13.4mg! So… even with the 5mg of mercury contained in CFLs, there is less mercury to pollute the environment..
And how do the CFLs work? The CFLs produce light differently than incandescent bulbs. In an incandescent, electric current runs through a wire filament and heats the filament until it starts to glow. In a CFL, an electric current is driven through a tube containing argon and a small amount of mercury vapor. This generates invisible ultraviolet light that excites a fluorescent coating (called phosphor) on the inside of the tube, which then emits visible light.
What to do if a CFL breaks
1. Ventilate
-open a window, shut-off the air conditioning and leave the room for at least 15 minutes.
2. Clean-up
Wear gloves and never use your bare hands. Do not use a vacuum cleaner or broom if possible-scoop up glass fragments and powder with a piece of paper or cardboard, and place them in a sealed container or plastic bag. Use sticky tape to pick up small fragments. Bedding or clothes that come in contact with mercury should be thrown away and not washed.
3. Disposal
Double-bag all the broken pieces and cleaning materials in a sealed bag and dispose of them properly. It would be better to take them to a recycling center capable of handling hazardous materials, but in the absence of such, it should be marked as clearly as possible.
4. Wash your hands
To state the obvious, this is to make sure that there is no residual mercury.
5. What not to do
· Do not use a vacuum cleaner or broom-the vacuum will put mercury into the air, and a broom may just spread it around.
· Never pour it down a drain
· Never wash mercury-contaminated clothing or items as it may contaminate the machine and/or pollute sewage.
See the extra effort we have to take to sustain the environment..Phew..let me know what you think..
No comments:
Post a Comment