Hi All,
Here's an extract from an article published by the BBC World news service, which could be of interest to us all:
I've never thought about this before, but I believe that all the fluorescent lamps (T8's and the new T5's) AND metal halide lamps contain heavy metals, including mercury. Because our lamps are concentrated in small areas above our tanks, this could have potentially more dangerous implications for our health than the above report suggests for "normal" households. Also, I dare say that we replace our tank's lamps much more regularly than normal household lamps - how do we dispose of them? I must admit that until now, I've just thrown them into the rubbish bin...
Hennie
Here's an extract from an article published by the BBC World news service, which could be of interest to us all:
Low-energy bulb disposal warning
The Environment Agency has called for more information to be made available on the health and environmental risks posed by low-energy light bulbs.
...Toxicologist Dr David Ray, from the University of Nottingham, said about 6-8mg of mercury was present in a typical low-energy bulb, which he described as a "pretty small amount". "Mercury accumulates in the body - especially the brain," he said. "The biggest danger is repeated exposure - a one off exposure is not as potentially dangerous compared to working in a light bulb factory.
"If you smash one bulb then that is not too much of a hazard. However, if you broke five bulbs in a small unventilated room then you might be in short term danger."
I've never thought about this before, but I believe that all the fluorescent lamps (T8's and the new T5's) AND metal halide lamps contain heavy metals, including mercury. Because our lamps are concentrated in small areas above our tanks, this could have potentially more dangerous implications for our health than the above report suggests for "normal" households. Also, I dare say that we replace our tank's lamps much more regularly than normal household lamps - how do we dispose of them? I must admit that until now, I've just thrown them into the rubbish bin...
Hennie