Traditional incandescent lamps, which have retained the historical nickname "Ilyich's bulbs", are gradually disappearing from use. They are replaced by new, so-called energy-saving light bulbs, the design of which involves the use of other technologies and materials. Both on an industrial scale and residential buildings their use is much more beneficial. Energy-saving lamps use less electrical energy, and at the same time produce brighter light and last longer. That is, the ratio of power and luminous flux makes their light output noticeably stronger than that of incandescent lamps. For this, energy-saving light bulbs are often called energy efficient, thereby indicating their practical value.

Peculiarities energy saving lamps, their advantages and disadvantages
At first glance, it may seem that energy-saving lamps are a definite breakthrough and improvement in lighting technology. In general, this is true, but there are certain nuances. This back side, without which, as you know, not a single medal can do. Let's start with the fact that several varieties of lamps and lamps based on them fall into the category of "energy efficient" at once, each of which has its own indicators of both light output and economy. In particular, LEDs are the most energy efficient today: they are more durable and durable lamps, the most expensive to purchase, but the most profitable to operate.

But in Everyday life energy-saving most often called only one type of lamp, namely fluorescent compact lamps. Their design and bulb size allows them to be used in the same standard sockets as older incandescent lamps. At the same time, they consume less electricity, which provides fluorescent lamps with great popularity in domestic conditions. Moreover, they can produce a beam of light of different color temperatures, from 2700 Kelvin ("warm" yellow light) to 6500 Kelvin "cold" white light. Even legislative initiatives on the territory of the Russian Federation and other countries contribute to the spread of fluorescent energy-saving lamps.

Indeed, these lamps shine softer and more stable, their cost pays off many times over due to the saved electricity. But at the same time, people with increased sensitivity to ultraviolet light need to use them with caution, because a small dose of radiation comes out through the glass bulb of these lamps. In addition, they contain free mercury, the vapors of which enter the atmosphere when the lamp is damaged. Therefore, even the most modern designs mercury-reduced lamps should not be thrown away with other lamps at the end of their useful life. household waste. Like, energy-saving lamps require special disposal.

Correct disposal of energy-saving lamps
Mercury, hidden inside the bulb of a fluorescent lamp, is an extremely dangerous substance. However, this fact is ignored not only by some manufacturers of lighting equipment, but also by buyers who use energy-saving light bulbs in their homes. And if the negligence of the former can still be explained by the desire for financial gain and the unwillingness to scare away suspicious consumers, then the carelessness of the latter is fraught with serious consequences for environment and human health.

All organizations that use energy-saving lamps in their production and office premises must enter into agreements with lighting suppliers that stipulate their delivery after the expiration date. These used light bulbs are transferred to recycling companies. But, firstly, not all organizations comply with this rule, and secondly, far from all settlements there are special plants for the processing of toxic waste. As for private consumers, most of them not only do not bother to scrap light bulbs, but do not even suspect such a need.

There are no centralized collection points for used lamps even in most large cities. But there are special enterprises involved in the transportation and disposal of waste containing mercury and other toxic substances. True, the services of these companies are not free, and therefore they cooperate mainly industrial organizations forced to find ways to sell waste. Individual citizens can contribute to the common cause of protecting the environment only in this way:

  1. Separate garbage and do not put used lamps (as well as power supplies and other electrical devices) in the bin, the contents of which are sent to the garbage chute and / or landfill. Set the lamps aside, pack them in sealed bags, and take them to battery collection points.
  2. If you feel the desire and strength, take a useful initiative at the level of your entrance and / or house. To do this, install containers in which your neighbors could put used lamps. Be sure to inform the public about this and collect waste approximately once a month and hand it over to collection points.
  3. You can find battery collection points in your city using social networks and online ads. Employees of such points are in contact with processing enterprises and will be able to suggest how to deal with the lamps, or accept them too.
  4. If you accidentally break or otherwise damage a fluorescent lamp, immediately put on rubber gloves and collect fragments of its bulb, and wipe the floor with a concentrated solution of potassium permanganate. Ventilate the room well, and henceforth be no less careful with energy-saving light bulbs than with mercury thermometers.
By law, used energy-saving lamps and their fragments are required to be accepted from citizens in all DEZs (directorate for the operation of buildings, in other words - ZhEK) and REU (repair and maintenance department). Interestingly, in the service centers of IKEA stores, lamp collection points are also organized. The waste is then sent to a few plants for final disposal. There, the lamps are dismantled, separating the mercury-containing phosphor from the bases and glass. The phosphor is treated with demercurizing chemicals, covered with cement and closed in a sealed container.

Despite the fact that the amount of mercury in each individual energy-saving light bulb is very small, their massive accumulation in landfills threatens to significantly pollute the biosphere. Previously, even more dangerous Krypton-85 was used for the production of fluorescent lamps, which was later replaced by mercury. The newest developments suggest using instead of mercury its alloys, or amalgam, which somewhat restrains mercury vapor. But even these improvements do not eliminate the need for careful attention and special disposal of energy-saving lamps.

Ordinary incandescent lamps will soon completely leave our homes - this is not surprising, because they have been replaced by modern energy-saving lamps. Their use is much more profitable, since energy-saving lamps will help save electricity, but at the same time they give more light and last much longer than conventional incandescent lamps. True, they still have one minus - they are made from such materials and using such technologies that for their disposal they need special conditions, so it is better to take them to collection points for energy-saving lamps.

Today, many believe that energy-saving lamps are a real breakthrough. In fact, this is only partly true.

  1. Several varieties of lamps are considered “energy efficient” - each of them individually has its own personal indicators of efficiency and light output.
  2. The most “energy efficient” today are LEDs: they are the most profitable and durable, but, however, very expensive.
  3. "Energy-saving" lamps are called fluorescent lamps. Thanks to more modern approach, they can be used in standard plinths.
  4. Fluorescent lamps consume much less electricity, so they are most often used in the household.
  5. Fluorescent lamps are capable of producing "cold" light - white or daylight and "warm" light - yellow. The fact is that they can produce a stream of light of different color temperatures - ranging from 2700 Kelvin to 6500 Kelvin.
  6. Since 2009, the Russian Federation began to actively promote the spread of fluorescent, that is, energy-saving lamps. Since 2011, the production of lamps with a power of 100 watts or more has practically ceased, and since 2013 - with a power of 75 watts or more. Since last year, the production of 25-watt lamps has sunk into oblivion.
  7. Energy-saving lamps give a softer and more stable light.
  8. The cost of energy-saving lamps is much higher than incandescent lamps, but the payback is many times greater, since the life of energy-saving lamps is longer than that of incandescent lamps.
  9. Energy-saving lamps are undesirable for use in everyday life by people who have an increased sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation.
  10. Energy-saving lamps contain mercury - its vapor will be released into the atmosphere if the lamp is damaged.
  11. After the expiration date, energy-saving lamps should not be thrown into the garbage with various household waste.
  12. Energy-saving lamps must be properly disposed of.

How to dispose of energy saving lamps

Inside the flask of a fluorescent lamp contains mercury - this is an extremely dangerous substance. Unfortunately, this fact is often ignored by both lighting manufacturers and buyers who use energy-saving light bulbs in their homes. Since the negligence of manufacturers is understandable - the desire to earn money, then the recklessness of consumers is sometimes frightening: their carelessness can turn into very serious consequences, both for human health and for the environment as a whole. Very rarely do people think that an ordinary lamp can bring a lot of trouble, but it really is!

Today, all organizations that use energy-saving lamps must necessarily have an agreement concluded with suppliers of lighting devices, according to which there is a clause on the delivery of these lamps after the expiration date back to production. The fact is that already used light bulbs must be transferred for recycling - to enterprises.

Unfortunately, the disposal of energy-saving lamps remains on the conscience of consumers, since rarely any organization or enterprise complies with these rules. In addition, not all cities have special factories that process toxic waste, and it is there that lamps should be sent.

Where to donate energy-saving lamps?

Unfortunately, there are often no centralized points where used lamps are accepted even in megacities. But there are a number of special enterprises that are engaged in the transportation and disposal of waste that contains mercury and various other toxic substances. Of course, the services of all these companies cost money, and often not small ones, which is why industrial organizations resort to their services. But we can all do our part to help the cause – here are some helpful tips to help protect the environment:

  1. Always sort your trash! Never throw used energy-saving lamps in the trash. Always set them aside (as well as various electrical devices) - ideally in sealed bags, and then take them to a collection point for old batteries.
  2. Take responsibility! Take the initiative at the level of the entrance or the whole house: install special containers where all the neighbors could put used energy-saving lamps. Once a month, it will be necessary to take the accumulated lamps to specialized collection points.
  3. If you do not know where the battery collection point is in your city, contact social media, large supermarkets, read local Internet sites. Most often, the employees of these points communicate directly with the recyclers - they can tell you what to do with the lamps.
  4. According to the law, all used energy-saving lamps, as well as their parts and fragments, must be accepted in all directorates for the operation of buildings, as well as in repair and maintenance departments.
  5. IN service center IKEA store definitely has a lamp collection point.
  6. All waste energy-saving lamps are sent to special factories - here the lamps are dismantled, mercury is separated from the glass and the base. The phosphor containing mercury is treated with chemicals, and then covered with cement and tightly closed in an airtight container.
  7. There is very little mercury in energy-saving lamps, but despite this, if there are a lot of lamps in one place, this threatens to pollute the atmosphere.
  8. By the way, Krypton-85 was previously used for the production of energy-saving lamps, but it turned out to be more dangerous than mercury so it was replaced.
  9. According to recent developments, scientists propose to use not mercury in energy-saving lamps, but its alloys or amalgam - thanks to this, mercury vapor will be contained. However, even such innovations will not eliminate the need for special disposal of all energy-saving lamps.



If an energy-saving lamp breaks at home?

Remember that mercury requires very careful and careful handling, just like a broken energy-saving lamp.

If you accidentally break a lamp in a room, you need to:

  1. Open the windows for a quarter of an hour - the room should be very well ventilated.
  2. Wear disposable rubber gloves.
  3. Never touch the lamp with bare hands!
  4. Remove fragments only with rubber gloves!
  5. Forget about the brush, broom and vacuum cleaner.
  6. Collect all the fragments with hard cardboard or hard paper.
  7. Place the pieces in a sealed plastic bag.
  8. Thoroughly wipe the area where the lamp has broken with a damp paper or cloth towel.
  9. Put the towel in the same bag where you collected the pieces - do not try to wash it or reuse it in the future.
  10. Do not throw broken pieces in the trash - take them to a battery collection point or special item for energy saving lamps.

Energy-saving lamps. Video

Moscow has become one of the most environmentally friendly regions of Russia. And Muscovites can help her maintain this status. How to sort garbage on your own and where to dispose of hazardous waste, read and watch on the Moscow 24 portal.

Recycling in Butovo

The fashion for separate waste collection has come to Russia quite recently: multi-colored waste bins are just beginning to appear on the streets. different types garbage. In the regions, not everyone knows and understands how it works and why it is important to sort it.

Moscow is paying more attention to this issue. This is also why the capital was in 7th place in the environmental rating of the country's regions in the summer of 2017. It was published by the all-Russian public organization "Green Patrol".

For example, residents of the Northern and Southern Butovo districts united and created the Our Butovo community. Its active participants organize actions on separate collection waste and hold meetings with well-known environmental activists. In addition, neighbors help each other in everyday matters, inform each other about lost or found things, and simply share local news.

Where to dispose of hazardous waste

If you care about the planet, you must have come across the fact that collection points miscellaneous waste not so easy to find.

In 2015, the Moscow authorities launched a map with the location of places where you can donate light bulbs, batteries, plastic and waste paper.

light bulbs

Fluorescent lamps contain toxic chemicals. IKEA, for example, offers a recycling service for store-bought light bulbs. You can also bring light bulbs to one of the Globus supermarkets or to the Kuskovo eco-school, an interactive environmental education center dealing with ecology and environmental protection.

LED light bulbs are safe and recyclable just like incandescent bulbs - pay attention to the packaging.

Photo: TASS/DPA/Julian Stratenschulte

Engineering and electronics

Your computer is broken or landline phone? No need to take them to a landfill: this waste contains dangerous substances- mercury, lead, cadmium, beryllium, not to mention such valuable metals as gold, silver and platinum.

It is better to find an electronics recycling organization and even get a symbolic monetary reward for this.

For more information on where to put old or broken equipment, see the Moscow 24 portal.

Glass

Waste glass containers are collected by Ecoline. Throughout Moscow, you can find containers or offices of the organization. Glass bottles can also be brought to one of the activists' collection points in the Strogino, Ramenki, Nagorny, Brateevo and Tushino districts.