energy saving bulbs how safe

[tomatoada]

Did I catch something on the news about these bulbs not being safe? Some thing about mercury emissions.  I tried to find out more about this  but could not find anything.  Anyone know anything?

[tomatoada]

[Baccy Man]

DEFRA's Q&A on energy saving bulbs:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/ENVIRONMENT/climatechange/uk/household/products/cfl.htm

The Health Protection Agency have a fact sheet on mercury in cfl's here:
http://www.hpa.org.uk/webw/HPAweb&HPAwebStandard/HPAweb_C/1207293983993?p=1158313435037

An article focusing on the mercury content:
http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/2008/January/07010803.asp

There are also various news items about bulbs causing skin complaints eg:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/environment/4988490/Energy-saving-light-bulbs-suspected-to-have-caused-skin-complaints.html
&
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/energy-saving-light-bulbs-can-emit-enough-uv-radiation-to-damage-skin-956696.html

The Health Protection Agency has published their views on the subject here:
http://www.hpa.org.uk/webw/HPAweb&HPAwebStandard/HPAweb_C/1223534061375
They also have a factsheet here:
http://www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAwebFile/HPAweb_C/1223445517429

[GodfreyRob]

I have always thought the compact fluorescent bulbs were rubbish - slow to come on, ugly and not as reliable as they are cracked up to be. The mercury content is small, but its not helping protecting the environment when ultimately millions will find their way into land fill.

LEDs are the way for me. You can get warm white bulbs too - the early ones were too blue and cold I thought.

They really do save energy - a 50w halogen replacement used just 1.4w! They are expensive at the moment (too much for me), but prices are slowly dropping and I am going to wait until they do - using good old filament bulbs until then.

[tomatoada]

Thanks for the replies.  I too think they are rubbish but why I asked is that my goddaughter uses one in the light by her babies cot and it is left on all night.  What do you think?   All change.   I have several in my cupboard which arrive free in the post.  4 more today.
Off to study sites as suggested above.   Thanks again.

[ACE]

They are only supposed to be dangerous if the glass is broken.

[GodfreyRob]

Thanks for the replies.  I too think they are rubbish but why I asked is that my goddaughter uses one in the light by her babies cot and it is left on all night.  What do you think?   All change.   I have several in my cupboard which arrive free in the post.  4 more today.
Off to study sites as suggested above.   Thanks again.

Another advantage of LEDs is that they give off very little heat compared to any other type of light  - so less risky near youngsters..

[Slug_killer]

They are only supposed to be dangerous if the glass is broken.

Its also not clever to insert them in ANY orifice - although it doesn't explicitly say that in the instructions.   :-X

[powerspade]

I changed over to these new light bulbs, but I found that they did not last very long. I had 9 fitted and within 3 weeks one went, in less than a year one by one they all failed, so now I`m back to the old type and I have built up a stock to keep me going for years. By the way our council tells us that the new bulbs have to be disposed of at a special site which means a hours car journey.

[RobinOfTheHood]

I changed over to these new light bulbs, but I found that they did not last very long. I had 9 fitted and within 3 weeks one went, in less than a year one by one they all failed, so now I`m back to the old type and I have built up a stock to keep me going for years. By the way our council tells us that the new bulbs have to be disposed of at a special site which means a hours car journey.

Unlucky?

I've been using them wherever I can for the last couple of years, maybe 15-18 in total in the house and shed, and haven't had a failure yet.

[wetandcold]

I can't comment on the mercury side of things but every bulb in my house is of the energy-saving type and I haven't had any of them fail since I put them in about 4 years ago. The newest designs are much better than some of the old ones - they reach full brightness almost straight away and have a slightly warmer colour of light.

[tomatoada]

How do I tell if the freebies I have received in the post are the newer ones which get brighter more quickly.   I don't feel like messing around testing them against the old ones.  There is nothing on the packaging.

[RobinOfTheHood]

How do I tell if the freebies I have received in the post are the newer ones which get brighter more quickly.   I don't feel like messing around testing them against the old ones.  There is nothing on the packaging.

I reckon they'll be the newer type - don't think the others are made any more.

[Slug_killer]

Its nothing to do with older/newer energy saving bulbs, its more where they were made.


The cheap 15 for £1 (and the freebie ones sent out), come from China, they take ages to full brightness and dont last very long. You'll find these in places like Wilcos and Poundland.

The more expensive European made ones (mostly in Germany), come in warm light etc, come to full brightness much quicker and last many years. You wont find these in places like Wilcos and Poundland, but 'dedicated lighting shops' and perhaps some DIY places.


You pays for what you get.

[RobinOfTheHood]

Its nothing to do with older/newer energy saving bulbs, its more where they were made.


The cheap 15 for £1 (and the freebie ones sent out), come from China, they take ages to full brightness and dont last very long. You'll find these in places like Wilcos and Poundland.

The more expensive European made ones (mostly in Germany), come in warm light etc, come to full brightness much quicker and last many years. You wont find these in places like Wilcos and Poundland, but 'dedicated lighting shops' and perhaps some DIY places.


You pays for what you get.

You might think so, but having just checked the freebies from the paper, it seems they were made by a German company (Megaman - they came with the Daily Comic, er Mirror). Somehow I ended up with about a dozen of these (friendly newsagent). I haven't actually used any of these yet, they may go in the garage/shed.

The ones I have used are Philips, 50p each from Netto at the time. :)

Hang on a mo, ought to take a look.....

......5 minutes later......

Just done a quick test by replacing a Philips with a freebie, and there is a difference. The freebie for starters does not look as well made, and takes about 30 secs to reach full brightness. The Philips, despite being 2 or 3 years old, is quicker.

Oh yes, one more thing. The Philips is stamped 'Made in P.R.C.'.  ;D



PS the freebies were probably made in China too, the company headquarters are in Germany.

[SamLouise]

I can't comment on the mercury side of things but every bulb in my house is of the energy-saving type and I haven't had any of them fail since I put them in about 4 years ago. The newest designs are much better than some of the old ones - they reach full brightness almost straight away and have a slightly warmer colour of light.

^^ Ditto.  I've been very impressed with their lifespan so far as some of ours have been in much longer than four years and have not yet needed changing. 

[Larkshall]

I can't comment on the mercury side of things but every bulb in my house is of the energy-saving type and I haven't had any of them fail since I put them in about 4 years ago. The newest designs are much better than some of the old ones - they reach full brightness almost straight away and have a slightly warmer colour of light.

^^ Ditto.  I've been very impressed with their lifespan so far as some of ours have been in much longer than four years and have not yet needed changing. 

I've been using them for about 10 years now and have no fault to find. Philips are the best, I only have one 4ft fluorescent tube in use now, when that fails I shall change that too. I am looking forward to the LED's but if they are white light it will be very cold (i don't know if they can make them Warm White)

[RobinOfTheHood]

Well, the freebies will be going in the shed and garage, after having one in the pantry for a few days. They are crap, like the first ones of a few years ago.

I have to say that dishing these out free with the newspapers is going to do nothing for the uptake of energy saving bulbs, doubt if anyone would put up with them for long. And while I can't find the exact model, the nearest equivalent from the same company in B&Q is £3.99... :o

Presumably these are a new improved version and the freebies are just old stock that they needed to get rid of, or pay to have them disposed of. Am I getting cynical in my old age?  ;D

[THE MASTER]

They are only supposed to be dangerous if the glass is broken.

Its also not clever to insert them in ANY orifice - although it doesn't explicitly say that in the instructions.   :-X

:o