Ottawa to test energy-saving bulbs for harmful UV rays

[calculoso]

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=1201797

WINNIPEG - The federal government is reviewing the safety of energy-saving light bulbs, responding to concerns the low-cost green alternative may emit potentially harmful ultraviolet radiation.

Health Canada launched a study in December to test compact fluorescent bulbs to see if they emit ultraviolet rays - less than two months after British health officials issued a public warning that, in proximity, the bulbs emit UV rays similar to outdoor exposure levels on a sunny summer day.

The United Kingdom's Health Protection Agency now recommends people should not be closer than 30 centimetres from an energy-saving light bulb for more than one hour per day, since it is like exposing bare skin to direct sunlight. The agency warns the emissions could cause problems for people suffering from medical conditions like lupus.

ugh. Let's hope that this isn't true. Many people have been going to CFL bulbs full-force. I hope that we don't have to replace it all, once again.

[HotHotHeat]

So I can tan naked INSIDE now? I don't see the problem.

[CaptainCrunch]

oh that is just so excellent

Save the environment, grow tumors the size of your fist.

[kermitology]

Doesn't make a huge amount of sense to me. From a pure energy perspective, I don't see how they can emit enough UV to be harmful given the energy consumption.

[Canada 02]

I hate CF bulbs; will never switch if I can help it

[getbak]

Who sits less than 30 cm (about 1 foot) away from a light bulb anyway?

[photon]

Even if they did how much could it possibly be???

What proximity are they talking about? Putting one in your mouth?

EDIT: I guess I should RTFA

Fluorescent tube lamps put out UV as well in small amounts, they say an 8 hour exposure to UV from fluorescent lamps is the same as standing outside for 1 minute on a clear day.

[TheDragon]

I actually remember hearing about this before. Apparently it's not so much the UV that the bulbs emit, but moreso the reaction that the Mercury inside them creates that is posing the health risk.

[CaptainCrunch]

Can we weaponize this, you know make a big lighbulb and drop it on the terrorists?

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by TheDragon

I actually remember hearing about this before. Apparently it's not so much the UV that the bulbs emit, but moreso the reaction that the Mercury inside them creates that is posing the health risk.

If you break it.. The mercury is contained in the glass. Besides it's a tiny drop.

[photon]

True, and if you dispose of it properly there's very little risk.

Incandescent bulbs actually introduce more mercury into the environment overall over their lifetime all things considered.

[TheDragon]

I can't remember the specifics of the article I read about it, I just remember there being some controversy regarding the reaction that the mercury created, not the mercury itself, and how it was causing people to develop strange symptoms. Granted, they weren't within a controlled study, mind you, but that is what one doctor theorized.

It will be interesting to see what happens with the results of a few more studies, though.

[Bagor]

Health Canada launched a study in December to test compact fluorescent bulbs to see if they emit ultraviolet rays - less than two months after British health officials issued a public warning that, in proximity, the bulbs emit UV rays similar to outdoor exposure levels on a sunny summer day.

Where proximity = less than an inch.Wonder what it is sitting an inch in front of a TV?

[Mccree]

Global's new show 16:9 had a thing on this. It mentions that there are two problems with these bulbs:

1) UV radiation
2) "Dirty electricity" and the RF waves they emitt.

I watched late one night so I do not remember all the details but here is a link to the show.
http://www.globaltv.com/globaltv/glo....topStory.html

[Nancy]

I've known about this for years, the EMF, RF, and UV emissions are toxic; this is why I always wear a tinfoil hat around the house. And a tinfoil body suit.

[JohnnyB]

This is great! I had a coworker all last year who was totally paranoid about UV radiation from fluorescent lights. He would always turn all the lights off in the teachers' office, he would teach classes with no lights on (even late in the evening when there was little natural light), he constantly lectured students about the dangers of the lights and he wore UV protective glasses at all times when he was inside. It causes a lot of tension in the office, and he was quite happy to disturb everybody else with it. On Teachers Day we were having pizza and beer in one of the classrooms (lights on) and I watched as he hung around in the hallway looking at the lights before the pizza was opened. He timed his move perfectly so that he darted into the room just as the boxes were opening, leaned over the people at the table, grabbed two slices and took off out of the room. Our education supervisor came in a minute later and said he had passed her quickly walking down the hallway, shoving pizza into his mouth and mumbling something about he had to leave because of the lights.

I kind of miss him. He was like an office mascot or something.