Fluorescent Tube Disposal

Jun 29, 2010 51 Replies

We chemically process a lot of things. Make them more hazzardous. Extracting lead from the ground chemicals comes to mind. I'm not sure how mercury exists in the environment. Oxide, or sulfide, or something like that. we separate it out of the compound.

Mercury is worse as it exists in nature than it is in its metallic form.

I asked at the local Lowes store for the proper way to dispose of the tubes. After all, they used the tubes in their store and I bought mine from them to start with. Everybody I spoke to just kind of shrugged. Nobody had a clue how to properly dispose of them. So I did what I'm sure they did. I tossed them in a dumpster.

Jay

I did a "back of the envelope" calculation on the mercury saved from being emitted from power stations compared to that used in CFL lamps. Based upon

50% coal power generation in the US, the amount of mercury used was in the same ballpark.

Right. According to "The True Believer":

"A mass movement can exist without a god, but it will always fail without a devil. A mass movement must have something to hate."

With CFLs, the Greens have the best of both worlds: They can hate the Mercury OR the coal.

One particular thought I had years back...how much asbestos is in the environment around intersections? For a great many years brake pads and shoes were made (and some still are) of the stuff! Have never heard of a study or report!

A *lot*, but it's not hurting anyone.

There were reports by the usual scare merchants around the time asbestos was banned.

When what they really hate is civilization.

oh really? Hasn't seemed to effect much here yet.

ROTFLMMFAO! Yeah, really. About 47,000 from me alone.

we are not EATING the florescent tubes from the dumpster you needledick.

i think the mercury vaporizes in such a fall.

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