Ron Paul, activists push to repeal ban on incandescent bulbs

[tangent4ronpaul]

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2011/02/repeal-ban-incandescent-light-bulbs/1

A limited-government group says it's ratcheting up its grass-roots efforts this week to repeal the phaseout of incandescent light bulbs slated to begin next year.

Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, and 20 other GOP House members, including Texan Ron Paul, have already proposed a bill to repeal the phaseout. Other proposals are expected this month by Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., and Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, according to Freedom Acton, a Web-based group founded in 2009 by political activists at the Center for Competitive Enterprise.

[romacox]

Good news. Now if we can get the Speaker of the House to realize that we voted for the new representatives to change things, and we do not want them to be ignored, and brushed off as rookies. If the old guard republicans do not figure this out soon, they will be voted out too.

[tangent4ronpaul]

Here are the detailed EPA cleanup recommendations for CFL's:
http://www.epa.gov/cfl/cflcleanup-detailed.html

Here are the short instructions:
What to Do if a Mercury Thermometer Breaks
NOTE: these instructions also apply to spills from other sources, if the amount spilled is less than or similar to the amount in a thermometer (see specific information about how to clean up broken fluorescent bulbs)

* Have everyone else leave the area; don't let anyone walk through the mercury on their way out. Make sure all pets are removed from the area. Open all windows and doors to the outside; shut all doors to other parts of the house.
* DO NOT allow children to help you clean up the spill.
* Mercury can be cleaned up easily from the following surfaces: wood, linoleum, tile and any similarly smooth surfaces.
* If a spill occurs on carpet, curtains, upholstery or other absorbent surfaces, these contaminated items should be thrown away in accordance with the disposal means outlined below. Only cut and remove the affected portion of the contaminated carpet for disposal.

Items needed to clean up a small mercury spill

1. 4-5 ziplock-type bags
2. trash bags (2 to 6 mils thick)
3. rubber, nitrile or latex gloves
4. paper towels
5. cardboard or squeegee
6. eyedropper
7. duct tape, or shaving cream and small paint brush
8. flashlight
9. powdered sulfur (optional)
Cleanup Instructions

1.

Put on rubber, nitrile or latex gloves.
2.

If there are any broken pieces of glass or sharp objects, pick them up with care. Place all broken objects on a paper towel. Fold the paper towel and place in a zip lock bag. Secure the bag and label it as directed by your local health or fire department.
3.

Locate visible mercury beads. Use a squeegee or cardboard to gather mercury beads. Use slow sweeping motions to keep mercury from becoming uncontrollable. Take a flashlight, hold it at a low angle close to the floor in a darkened room and look for additional glistening beads of mercury that may be sticking to the surface or in small cracked areas of the surface. Note: Mercury can move surprising distances on hard-flat surfaces, so be sure to inspect the entire room when "searching."
4.

Use the eyedropper to collect or draw up the mercury beads. Slowly and carefully squeeze mercury onto a damp paper towel. Place the paper towel in a zip lock bag and secure. Make sure to label the bag as directed by your local health or fire department.
5.

After you remove larger beads, put shaving cream on top of small paint brush and gently "dot" the affected area to pick up smaller hard-to-see beads. Alternatively, use duct tape to collect smaller hard-to-see beads. Place the paint brush or duct tape in a zip lock bag and secure. Make sure to label the bag as directed by your local health or fire department.
6.

OPTIONAL STEP: It is OPTIONAL to use commercially available powdered sulfur to absorb the beads that are too small to see. The sulfur does two things: (1) it makes the mercury easier to see since there may be a color change from yellow to brown and (2) it binds the mercury so that it can be easily removed and suppresses the vapor of any missing mercury. Where to get commercialized sulfur? It may be supplied as mercury vapor absorbent in mercury spill kits, which can be purchased from laboratory, chemical supply and hazardous materials response supply manufacturers.
Note: Powdered sulfur may stain fabrics a dark color. When using powdered sulfur, do not breathe in the powder as it can be moderately toxic. Additionally, users should read and understand product information before use.
7.

If you choose not to use this option, you may want to request the services of a contractor who has monitoring equipment to screen for mercury vapors. Consult your local environmental or health agency to inquire about contractors in your area. Place all materials used with the cleanup, including gloves, in a trash bag. Place all mercury beads and objects into the trash bag. Secure trash bag and label it as directed by your local health or fire department.
8.

Contact your local health department, municipal waste authority or your local fire department for proper disposal in accordance with local, state and federal laws.
9.

Remember to keep the area well ventilated to the outside (i.e., windows open and fans in exterior windows running) for at least 24 hours after your successful cleanup. Continue to keep pets and children out of cleanup area. If sickness occurs, seek medical attention immediately. View information on health effects related to exposures to vapors from metallic mercury. For additional information on health effects, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) provides a Mercury Fact Sheet Exit EPA Disclaimer that also presents information on health effects related to exposures to vapors from metallic mercury.

Recommendation: If there are young children or pregnant women in the house, seek additional advice from your local or state health or state environmental agency.

====

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase-out_of_incandescent_light_bulbs#Federal_legislatio n

Federal legislation

In December 2007, many of these state efforts became moot when the federal government enacted the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which requires all general-purpose light bulbs that produce 310–2600 lumens of light[8] be 30% more energy efficient (similar to current halogen lamps) than current incandescent bulbs by 2012 to 2014. The efficiency standards will start with 100-watt bulbs in January 2012 and end with 40-watt bulbs in January 2014.

Light bulbs outside of this range are exempt from the restrictions (historically, less than 40 Watts or more than 150 Watts). Also exempt are several classes of specialty lights, including appliance lamps, rough service bulbs, 3-way, colored lamps, and plant lights.

By 2020, a second tier of restrictions would become effective, which requires all general-purpose bulbs to produce at least 45 lumens per watt (similar to current CFLs). Exemptions from the Act include reflector flood, 3-way, candelabra, colored, and other specialty bulbs.[29]
(It's basically a ban as the standard can't be met.)

See also:

http://blog.heritage.org/2010/08/13/the-incandescent-bulb-ban-another-regulatory-overreach/

[tangent4ronpaul]

The link in the article to the bill was temporary Thomas search results - anyone know the bill number?

More from the article:

13% say they plan to stockpile 100-watt incandescents so they can keep using them.

A USA TODAY story this week reports that some consumers are starting to hoard incandescents because they're dissatisfied with the light quality of more efficient compact fluorescent lamps or CFLs. Manufacturers will no longer be able to make the 100-watt Thomas Edison bulb after Jan. 1, 2012, followed by the 75-watt version in Jan. 2013 and the the 60- and 40-watt bulbs in Jan. 2014.

Congress mandated the phaseout in a 2007 bill signed into law by President George W. Bush. Chief sponsors were Reps. Jane Harman, D-Calif., and Fred Upton, R-Mich., who now chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Upton has said his panel will hold a hearing on the phaseout.

====

Are you hoarding incandescents? CFL, LED options improve
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2011/02/incandescent-phaseout-cfl-led-options/1

Some consumers resist 'green' light bulbs
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/environment/2011-02-07-lightbulbs_N.htm

[romacox]

Several years back a bill was passed that removed phosphates from detergent because it caused excessive plant growth in water ways suffocating the fish. Phosphates was replaced with a chemical which does not encourage plant growth, but is poison. So now the fish are not suffocated, but poisoned instead. So much for government regulation.

The new additive is called soda ash and causes these symptoms
* Breathing problems due to throat swelling
* Collapse
* Diarrhea
* Drooling
* Eye irritation, redness, and pain
* Hoarseness
* Low blood pressure (may develop rapidly)
* Severe pain in the mouth, throat, chest, or abdominal area
* Shock
* Skin irritation
* Swallowing difficulty
* Vomiting
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002486.htm