With most hardware store shelves now bare of traditional light bulbs, and stocked with compact flourescents, many are questioning the safety of CFLs.
The B.C. Conservative Party is calling on the Liberal government to revoke its ban on incandescent light bulbs until the public can be assured of CFL safety.
“If a product is too dangerous to be allowed in B.C. landfills, why is it being forced into our homes?” said Wayne McGrath, party president and Vernon resident.
Under ordinary circumstances, homeowners are told to return used compact fluorescent light bulbs to the store where they purchased them for recycling. Under no conditions are they to be placed in household garbage going to the landfill, because CFLs contain mercury, one of the most toxic substances known.
“If a CFL breaks or explodes, homeowners are advised to mount a borderline HAZMAT operation,” said McGrath.
“A read of information available from Health Canada is enough to send any one out to buy as many cases of good old-fashioned light bulbs as possible.”
If a bulb is broken, people and pets are to leave the room; the room is to be ventilated for at least 15 minutes prior to starting clean-up to ensure that mercury vapor levels are reduced before you start cleaning. Health Canada goes on to say, that a vacuum should not be used to clean up as it will spread the mercury vapor, and we are to wear disposable gloves to avoid direct contact with mercury and to prevent cuts.
The mercury-laden debris is then to be placed in a glass container with a tight fitting lid to further minimize the release of mercury vapor, and then place waste material outside of the building in a protected area away from children. Again, according to Health Canada, we are not to dispose of the mercury-laden waste in our regular household garbage and instead are to dispose of the waste at a household hazardous waste location as soon as possible.
“Most people don’t know what precautions to take in their home if a CFL bulb breaks, never mind knowing where they are to take the waste for disposal. Most will naturally put them in their household garbage,” said McGrath.
Nor are all municipal governments in British Columbia aware of the ban on disposing of them in landfills, according to the party.
“How is that ban to be enforced? said McGrath.
“Search every household’s garbage? CFLs will be going into landfills where they’ll be crushed, releasing mercury into the environment.”
The B.C. Conservative Party is concerned that in the rush to approve CFLs, to allegedly ‘save energy’, little consideration appears to have been made for public safety. Given that, we ask the BC Liberal government, “Why were harmless incandescent light bulbs banned without any consultation, and without the consent of the people of British Columbia.”
“To avoid contamination of the environment British Columbians need to know where recycling is available – especially in rural areas,” said McGrath.
“Furthermore, where a recycling depot does exist, where and how are used CFLs being recycled? Can British Columbians be confident they are being properly handled?”
McGrath concluded, “Given the potential for harm to the health and environment of this province, BC Conservatives urge the government of British Columbia government to immediately suspend its prohibition on incandescent light bulbs, and to ensure that CFLs are both safe to use and carefully recycled. Until we can be assured of both public and environmental safety, we are on record stating the public has a right to choose between the two light bulbs.”
