How is this going to turn out "green"?

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Okay, so I dropped one of those new mercury bulbs, and it was still sealed in its package. I don't know what to do with the damn thing, I know they're supposed to be recycled, so I looked up online.

Evidently, I can recycle it at Lowe's, unless it's broken. Nobody takes broken bulbs, apparently. Because they're full of, you know, mercury .

So I'm warned it's a toxic hazard and also warned that I can't toss it nor recycle it.

So I placed the sealed package in the green box (that's "wheelie bin" for our friends across the pond) which now I suppose is anything but green. I don't know what else to do with it, I sure as hell don't want it in my house. I guess it will go to the landfill with all the other thousands of broken bulbs.

I mean, I did try. Had there been a viable option that didn't involve me storing the shit in my house, I would have done that. But if there was, I have yet to learn what it is.

Now, contemplating what I have done...which is not exactly environmentally responsible, but wtf else am I supposed to do....these "green" bulbs are going to be responsibly disposed of by everyone who uses them? Like the morons we encounter on a day to day basis who can barely be trusted to keep the boogers off their upper lips and their pants pulled up are going to all do the right thing with these mercury filled environmental hazards and keep this shit out of ground?

Anyone but me think the big picture here is only going to end in tears?

[insertNameHere]

Convenient isn't it, i was sort of thinking of starting a argument about how electric cars being far from as green as everyone says.

Our local electric company just sent us 6 bulbs because they are adding a fee for the next few years weather or not you accepted the bulbs at a cost higher than the bulbs are worth because they need to cover lost profits of being forced to offer energy efficient bulbs..... we put one in and it has already burned out.

I don't know if it is just a cheap bulb or the fact you aren't supposed to cycle them on an off, and it was in our kitchen that the light comes on for 1 min then off again

[Andara Bledin]

Most people aren't aware, but if you use a CFL bulb or any type of bulb that has a ballast in the base, you need to mount them so that the base is below the bulb, as any other mounting will result in the electronics in the ballast going out while the bulb itself is still good. My apartment complex replaced all the lights with CFLs in the ceiling fixtures and they're mounted sideways. At the 2-year mark, our kitchen light is now out and we have no clue how to even open the enclosure. >_<

^-.-^

[Tanasi]

Okay, so I dropped one of those new mercury bulbs, and it was still sealed in its package. I don't know what to do with the damn thing, I know they're supposed to be recycled, so I looked up online.

Evidently, I can recycle it at Lowe's, unless it's broken. Nobody takes broken bulbs, apparently. Because they're full of, you know, mercury .

So I'm warned it's a toxic hazard and also warned that I can't toss it nor recycle it.

So I placed the sealed package in the green box (that's "wheelie bin" for our friends across the pond) which now I suppose is anything but green. I don't know what else to do with it, I sure as hell don't want it in my house. I guess it will go to the landfill with all the other thousands of broken bulbs.

I mean, I did try. Had there been a viable option that didn't involve me storing the shit in my house, I would have done that. But if there was, I have yet to learn what it is.

Now, contemplating what I have done...which is not exactly environmentally responsible, but wtf else am I supposed to do....these "green" bulbs are going to be responsibly disposed of by everyone who uses them? Like the morons we encounter on a day to day basis who can barely be trusted to keep the boogers off their upper lips and their pants pulled up are going to all do the right thing with these mercury filled environmental hazards and keep this shit out of ground?

Anyone but me think the big picture here is only going to end in tears?

My county has a hazardous waste facility that we can take such things to. They also take paint, stains, car batteries, tires, stuff you just don't know what the heck it is. For the most part there isn't an additional charge unless you have a lot.
In my Mom's county they have HW collections twice a year.

[HYHYBT]

They're not "full of mercury" anyway. There's a very small amount in there. Not good to make a habit of throwing them away, but one won't hurt. And it's less, if I remember rightly, than is released in creating the extra electricity incandescent bulbs would have used.

You don't have to mount them any particular direction. If you did, it would say so on the box. I have them every which way, most either straight down or sideways, and haven't changed one in years. Of course not all bulbs last the same amount of time, and they really aren't good in uses where they're used in spurts.

[Andara Bledin]

It used to be that most CFLs had issues with inverted mountings. But the technology has gotten better, so those that have issues with such mountings should note that on the box. But heat is still an issue, so if your fixture captures the heat, even a sideways or upright mounted bulb will fail more quickly.

And, yes, a lot of on/off activity will shorten their lifespan as well.

Audubon fact sheet on CFL bulbs (pdf)

^-.-^

[RecoveringKinkoid]

What if you have enclosed fixtures with glass globes or whatnot over them? I always wondered about that.

[Andara Bledin]

For those that are enclosed, you could just feel the enclosure. If the outside is hot or even notably warm, then it's probably shortening the life of the bulb.

Although, even then, it will still last longer than a standard incandescent, and use less energy over it's life.

^-.-^

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Yeah, but I've got ones over here that say to not put them into an enclosed fixture.

[HYHYBT]

Don't buy more like that

CFL's generate very little heat compared to the bulbs they replace. If the fixtures could handle the old kind and cannot handle the new, then there's something wrong with the new bulbs... and not all of them.

I wouldn't, though, try using one in an oven or anything like that. Come to think of it, will appliance bulbs still be available, or do I need to go stock up? Then again, the only time I've replaced one was because the new oven came with its own...

[Lace Neil Singer]

My county has a hazardous waste facility that we can take such things to. They also take paint, stains, car batteries, tires, stuff you just don't know what the heck it is. For the most part there isn't an additional charge unless you have a lot.
In my Mom's county they have HW collections twice a year.

The problem is, that kind of thing relies on people not being bone idle and actually making the effort. A lot of people just can't be bothered and will just throw the light bulbs in the dustbin.

[HYHYBT]

The problem is, that kind of thing relies on people not being bone idle and actually making the effort. A lot of people just can't be bothered and will just throw the light bulbs in the dustbin.

That's true. But throwing away a CFL still involves less mercury than powering incandescent bulbs.

[protege]

Where I live, you have to call someone in to pick up hazardous waste...and get charged an arm and a leg. That's why there are so many illegal dumps in and around the city of Pittsburgh. Empty lots, wooded hillsides, abandoned buildings...usually do contain old cans of paint, junk, wrecked cars, appliances, construction debris (bricks, cinder blocks, etc.) and other discarded items. It's simply easier (and cost effective) to dump that stuff in the woods than to dispose of it properly. Unfortunately, the city created that mess, but at least now they're attempting to do something about it.

[patiokitty]

When I moved into my current place all the lights had CFL bulbs in them. My biggest complaint with them is that they took a bit to warm up and give full illumination. And I also dealt with more migraines than I had in years. A friend of mine sent me a few links that dealt with there being a connection between CFL bulbs and migraines so I did a little test - I replaced all of the CFLs with regular lightbulbs. And the number and severity of my migraines went significantly down. Put the CFLs back in and it was right back to the debilitating migraines.

Guess what kind of bulbs I have now?

I ended up giving away the CFLs to a friend. I pay for my own electricity anyway so the landlord couldn't say anything if she even noticed that I didn't have any CFLs installed any more.

[Fire_on_High]

It used to be that most CFLs had issues with inverted mountings.

I've got one several years old and counting in an inverted fixture...some days it's on 8-12 hours, some significantly less, and occasionally several days to even weeks at a time. Still going strong!

If anything, the fixture itself is wearing out before the bulb...the switch is starting to fail.