CFL's poison workers - Hundreds of factory staff are being made ill by mercury used in bulbs.

This disturbing article "Green' light bulbs poison workers" points out about a very disturbing aspect of our green movement and could be a big blow to our ongoing struggle towards sustainability.

We all know that one CLF bulb is as good as 9 regular bulbs and, some of us also know that each CFL Bulb contains up to 5 milligrams of mercury(Hg).


In China, a heavy environmental price is being paid for the production of CFL lightbulbs in cost-cutting factories.

Large numbers of Chinese workers have been poisoned by mercury, which forms part of the compact fluorescent lightbulbs. A surge in foreign demand, set off by a European Union directive making these bulbs compulsory within three years, has also led to the reopening of mercury mines that have ruined the environment.

This is a scary situation to be in. We will have to wait and see how China and Europe decide to deal with this. What measures will be taken to protect the factory and mine workers from the harmful effects of mercury and what happens to the prices of CFL bulbs once these measures are enforced.

And what we as consumers decide when the price rises.