Video: MRCTV Finds Out How Onerous EPA Guidelines to Clean Up Broken Fluorescent Bulbs Are
After returning from asking Washington, D.C. tourists about the government-mandated phase out of incandescent light bulbs that begins in 2012, our friends at MRCTV got a first hand lesson in how the government expects Americans to handle the impending switch to mercury-laden compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs).
[Video embedded below page break]
As MRCTV's Dan Joseph got out of the car in the MRC garage, he accidentally dropped the CFL bulb used as a visual aid during the man-on-the-street shoot.
One might think that taking specific safety measures when disposing of broken light bulb is a bit alarmist, but as it turns out the very same government that is mandating the sale of the CFLs also has endorsed a long series of steps that need to be taken to ensure your family's safety in case an individual breaks one of the bulbs.
After receiving no response from light bulb disposal experts at the EPA, Dan took it upon himself to follow the government guidelines to the best of his ability and save Media Research Center's Alexandria, Virginia headquarters from impending catastrophe.
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Comments
Too Funny
Submitted by richb313 on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 7:05pm.
Too Funny and absurdily accurate.
I spent 4 hours of training
Submitted by ricklail on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 7:25pm.
I spent 4 hours of training on this. We broke incandescent bulbs and followed the EPA procedures. If you use a broom to sweep it up the broom is now a hazardous waste. Anything that is used is considered a hazardous waste.
Realy Rick
Submitted by Boudin on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 8:05pm.
I thought you were supposed to throw them in public garbage cans, and let them deal with it?
Really!
Submitted by David N MO on Tue, 07/26/2011 - 3:11pm.
That's how i've done it for 40 years.
Take the 4 foot tube, put it in the garbage and whack it with a stick. Let it sit in a sun lit black bag for a while for more dramatic effects. And those tubes had about 25mg vs the 5 or so in a CFL.
David
Save me from the Good People!
How did we (back in the
Submitted by seanrobins on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 10:59pm.
How did we (back in the Stone Age) EVER survive the mercury-filled thermometer?
And why didn't that bring a crashing end to civilization?
sean robins
As I recall
Submitted by TexasMom0517 on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 11:42pm.
We actually used to play with the mercury when a thermometer broke- it looked pretty cool. Since I'm 62, I guess the mercury poisoning is slow-acting.
In actual fact, these CFLs will be a major health risk. Most people will NOT clean them up properly and they'll just go into the landfill, putting a lot of mercury into the land there. ANOTHER STUPID LIBERAL IDEA with no view to unintended consequences. Note that GE is one of the most highly recommended of the makers of CFLs- what a surprise!
I have these...
Submitted by MightyMouth on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 7:12pm.
damn things throughout my house. Who do I sue when my dimmers cause these things to explode? And by the way, if real light bulbs produce more heat than light, what does that say about Al Gore? Shouldn't he be banned also?
LOL Mighty Mouth
Submitted by Radical1979 on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 7:20pm.
Doesn't it occur to these people that some of us don't mind that we're getting a little extra heat with our light? In the northeast in the winter it doesn't hurt at all.
Well Rad...
Submitted by MightyMouth on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 8:09pm.
...they will probably tell you to switch bulbs per season...but wait... you can't buy the good winter bulbs anymore! Sooo... as with everything the federal gooberment does... they didn't think of that!! DOH!! I swear the US gooberment is the Homer Simpson of political systems.
BTW this was all passed by a Democrat Congress and signed by GWB. My Hero from 09/11/2001 to 11/01/2006. And then... well we all know. Thank you George for allowing Obama to blame you for EVERYTHING!
Rad, this has been discussed
Submitted by motherbelt on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 7:54pm.
Rad, this has been discussed elsewhere, including the ramifications of how much extra natural gas or fuel oil will be burned to make up for the heat not provided by those bulbs.
That doggone law of unintended consequences!!
To add motherbelt*
Submitted by cajun2 on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 8:06pm.
With Obama's energy policy, there soon may well be a shortage of natural gas and fuel oil. If the EPA continues to add regulations to burden energy and electrical plants, there will be more than light bulbs to worry about.
cajun2
Submitted by MightyMouth on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 9:56pm.
Pretty much everything Obama wants energy to be is a hoax. It is what it is... coal, nuclear, oil. And oil is more than energy, it is the basis for everything we use from the kitchen to the office. If the libs really got what they ask for re: less use of oil they would be living like the Flinstones. Barny would be Biden and Fred would be Obama. God only knows what Moochellel would be!
MM*
Submitted by cajun2 on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 10:07pm.
She would be the saber-toothed tiger....;-)
"what does that say about Al
Submitted by phryingphish on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 8:17pm.
"what does that say about Al Gore? Shouldn't he be banned also?"
No, He's just a dim bulb. Not the brightest bulb in the living room,
double post, sorry
Submitted by phryingphish on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 8:20pm.
double post, sorry
I wonder
Submitted by Bob K on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 7:16pm.
how much the experts at every level (EPA down to State) that are not available to talk to get paid?
These things are a joke and a
Submitted by killa37 on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 7:16pm.
These things are a joke and a scam and they're expensive too, and I"ve known about this aspect for a while - when I tell people, they are surprised, because they've been hoodwinked once again by the hype and the hoax..........
I think the LED bulbs may be
Submitted by Ken Shepherd on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 9:06pm.
I think the LED bulbs may be a good alternative. Not toxic and they last longer than even CFLs. However they are crazy expensive. But yeah, this ban-the-incandescent law is crap. We should have the right to go with cheap and inefficient over more expensive and more efficient.
No Sir. I believe you are mistaken.
Submitted by The Vet on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 9:29pm.
LED bulbs are Kaaaaa-Raaaaaazzzzzzeeeeeeee expensive.
I have 8 foot T12 flourescents in the basement. Not cheap to buy. But I can walk into an Ace Hardware with a $20 and walk out with a couple of them.
The LED replacement for them? I... Well... The bank hasn't approved the loan yet.
Ken.............wasn't Boy
Submitted by killa37 on Tue, 07/26/2011 - 3:51am.
Ken.............wasn't Boy Blah-Blah AT the Edison plant some time ago, flapping his stupid purple lips about energy and and light-bulbs and whatever the hell else this dope goes on and on about??? Gimme a regular lightbulb, OK??? And if it burns out, I'll put another one in!!! Do I need to call Hazmat??? Do I need to pay an arm and a leg??? And are these things 'efficient'??????''
I wanna break some of these dumb-ass curlie-Ques and put them in Moooooooooooooooooochelles' french fries!!!!
Don't forget
Submitted by AGreer on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 11:09pm.
that they're produced by in China by G.E.(Obummer's buddies) and that G.E. earned $14.2 billion in 2010 AND paid NO TAXES.
G.E. also makes the wind farm windmills that run @ less than 50% efficiency and can't exceed 59% efficiency.
It's only a joke if you can stop swearing.
TRU DAT!!!!!
Submitted by killa37 on Tue, 07/26/2011 - 3:50am.
TRU DAT!!!!!
Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. What was with the "Ow". We saw it.
Submitted by The Vet on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 8:25pm.
Did someone get a cut finger and thereby run the risk of getting mercury in a cut?
As usual, our friends at Yahoo Answers have the well, you know, the, you know, answer.
Can mercury kill me if it got in my cut?
I don't think some people over at Yahoo take this seriously. Some of those answers said not to worry too much. Hmmm.
Evidently, The Glass Did Cut Through The Tape...
Submitted by fatrat on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 8:51pm.
...and poor Mr Joseph is now a victim of mercury poisoning.
Check the tape at about 3:22 and see for yourself.
That is why you call a hazmat team, and have them do such a cleanup.
I wonder why. . .
Submitted by rickbren on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 8:32pm.
the EPA didn't require an environmental impact statement for these things?? Companies can hardly mow their grounds without one. . .
Ask the expert
Submitted by CobraMan on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 8:43pm.
So, the EPA actually has an "expert" devoted to answering questions related to the safe disposal of CFL's? That's insane!
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States. The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus. The US Supreme Court
Or Anwar al-Awlaki.
Nicely done~!
Submitted by DaMav on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 9:16pm.
eom
Use LEDs
Submitted by SLUGGO on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 9:33pm.
They're not that expensive and they last longer.
Sluggo
Maybe you consider a twenty
Submitted by Reaver on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 10:56pm.
Maybe you consider a twenty dollar light bulb inexpensive, that’s a bit rich for my budget.
http://www.homedepot.com/Electrical-Light-Bulbs-LED/h_d1/N-5yc1vZbm79/R-...
For comparison a two pack of CFL’s costs thirteen bucks each
http://www.homedepot.com/Electrical-Light-Bulbs-Compact-Tube-Fluorescent...
Just for the record a good old incandescent lightbulb $1.27
http://www.homedepot.com/Electrical-Light-Bulbs-Incandescents/h_d1/N-5yc...
Don't post here any more syrius.
Submitted by The Vet on Tue, 07/26/2011 - 12:14pm.
Oh wait, I really have no right to tell you to do that.
Now what was it you were telling us to do again? Just like the little liberal fascist you are.
Fascism is nothing to joke about
Submitted by SLUGGO on Tue, 07/26/2011 - 12:42pm.
And please, i'm a communist. i thought i was going to enjoy a nice dinner outside under the moon until I realized it wasn't that kind of moon.
Sluggo
Whatever.
Submitted by The Vet on Tue, 07/26/2011 - 9:27pm.
50 accounts. Still to stupid to comprehend what was said to you. Not going to explain it. Everyone else understood what I said.
Very funny but tragic
Submitted by Captain Repus on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 10:05pm.
This video should be required viewing for every citizen to show the utter insanity of our government.
To 'sort of' quote Michelle BWB Obammy, for the first time in my adult life I am not proud of my country.
tragic is right...
Submitted by MightyMouth on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 10:27pm.
they would have been fined or jailed for discarding Hazmat material in a public dumpster. You can't win against the nazi gooberment, remember these people are your neighbors and you should be reported to the ruling class for your transgressions. There is a "camp" and "shower" in your future. It can't happen here? 300 million dead in the 20th century believed that too.
Just like govt
Submitted by goldbough on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 11:28pm.
Proven again, anything the government touches is now more inefficient (and stupid).
The government should not be
Submitted by Jimme on Tue, 07/26/2011 - 1:25am.
The government should not be banning anything that is not a direct and immediate threat to our health, period. Especially when you replace it with a product that potentially can be a direct and immediate threat to our health.
My bulbs are to damn high!
Submitted by PJMan on Tue, 07/26/2011 - 5:35am.
So sad, he did not wear his gloves, mask, and disposable coveralls, is he now poisoned? And with the LED's, traffic lights during winter freeze over due to lack of heat, and vehicle marker lights the same, causing many accidents, so there in a nutshell is what our government can do for us!
Glad I didn't discard my hurricane lamps!
Submitted by 4eyes50 on Tue, 07/26/2011 - 6:50am.
They're not so easy to read by, unless you have 2 or 3, but they give off heat, easy to maintain, and don't require EPA regulations to dispose of. I'm in the process of "hoarding" as many incandescant bulbs as I can, without raising too much suspicion. People I work with look at me blankly when I tell them they won't be around much longer - doesn't anyone watch the news or pick up a paper anymore? Oh, right, I forget not everyone watches Fox News.
BTW, excellent video! Glenn Beck did something similar a while back - OK, a looooooooooooooooong while back! It was just as entertaining and informative.
There's a simple solution to all of this:
Submitted by Callawyn on Tue, 07/26/2011 - 10:56am.
State legislatures should ban use of any lightbulb that contains Mercury, do to the cleanup hazards and disposal problems. If we all start using compact flourescents, its just a matter of years before every landfill in the country is full of them. There's already a federal ban on mercury vapor bulbs for use in streetlights, for precisely the same reason.
Then sit back and watch the fun. With mercury content bulbs banned for good reason and incandescents banned for no reason at all (and LED's at $50 each) there can really only be one result.
try not to inhale during clean up
Submitted by TerryWest on Tue, 07/26/2011 - 12:02pm.
they only needed to add a surgical mask to complete the insanity