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from the ...run for the hills! department...
Gas discharge bulb mercury content
Information resources, documentation. topic
Posted by Bob Welker on 24 March, 2008 - 11:34 pm
I've have an idle question in case someone on this list has already done the research, and can point out a good information source.

Looking for a table correlating the mercury content in various forms of gas discharge lamps (fluorescent light bulbs - both currently available 'green' varieties, and, with any luck, at least some historical data for at least one common bulb form factor going back several decades), metal halide, high pressure sodium, and pretty much any lighting technology where mercury is used.

Much of the data Google kicks back relates to CFLs, and I know there are voluntary caps of 5 mg for CFLs rated less than 25 watts, and 6 mg for 25 to 40 watt bulbs.

The reason I ask... ammo for the next time I'm tempted to calm down someone going hysterical about the dangers of CFLs. Over the years I've been decommissioning our mercury displacement power relays (replacing them to solid-state), then sending the MDRs back to their manufacturer for recycling.

A typical 100A pole from one of these weights 1.05 pounds, and I'm guessing at least 80% of this is mercury (the remainder being packaging, and the copper pole pieces), so if a three pole, 100A MDR contains something like 2.52 pounds (~1140 grams) of mercury it is equivalent to more than 190,000 CFLs containing 6 mg.

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