LED Lights, Toxic Too

UPDATE: 21 April - NEW REPORT:  CFL Bulbs Carcinogenic 

HEALTH fears were raised last night over the use of energy saving lightbulbs after a report claimed they contain cancer causing chemicals.

Scientists warn that prolonged contact with the European Union-imposed bulbs could put people at risk after discovering that they “pulse out” poisonous materials when switched on.

The bulbs are already widely used in Britain after the EU ordered all traditional incandescent lightbulbs to be phased out by the end of this year.

While it was known that harmful amounts of mercury are released if one of the new “green” bulbs breaks, experts have now discovered they also emit several carcinogenic chemicals.

These include phenol – a poison used by the Nazis to kill concentration camp victims – and the toxins naphthalene and styrene, which are released as a form of steam when the bulb is switched on.

The German scientists behind the report advise that the bulbs should not be left on for extended periods, especially near a person’s head.   Read more: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/241807/New-lightbulbs-in-cancer-scareNew-lightbulbs-in-cancer-scare#ixzz1KAA7ANVg

I always appreciate it when a Natural Health News reader takes their time to send along some valuable information.  Reviewing this report I have to encourage everyone to again, consider the toxins in CFL bulbs, but also be very aware of the facts surrounding LED lights too.

While tungsten can be toxic from regular light bulbs, they seem to be far safer than the more recent products.

And we do know that the CFL and LED so far are not saving substantial energy.

Thanks to Dr. Peter Thornes for compiling the data.

LEDs and their lead, arsenic and other toxic content
LED bulbs contain lead, nickel, arsenic, and a dozen more potentially hazardous substances

The problems of forcing new unproven technology on the people (after all, the safe old regular light bulbs have been declared "obsolescent"), is unsurprisingly shown also with those other complex lights, the LEDs (light emitting diodes).

From a February 2011 Reuters report, a study from the University of California (UC) Irvine shows that LED bulbs contain lead, nickel, arsenic, and a dozen more potentially hazardous substances - and highlights the dangers thereof [my emphases]:

Many of the contaminants found in the LED bulbs have been showed to adversely affect human health. Toxins like lead and arsenic are linked to various cancers, brain damage, hypertension, skin rashes, and other illnesses. The copper in LED bulbs, once released, can affect rivers, lakes, and infect fish.

If a bulb were to break, and somebody breathed in the fumes released, it would not automatically trigger cancer. However, it could act as a tipping point on top of exposures to other carcinogens. Plus, because lead tastes sweet, it is possible that children may mistake small ornamental LED lights as candy.

Under today's law, LEDs are disposed of in typical landfills and are not classified as toxic, but the researchers are hoping that their study will change that. They believe that consumers should be aware of the potential harm from LED contaminants. Measures that could be put in place may be to wear personal safety protection when cleaning up a broken LED bulb, whether at home, or with a cleanup crew at a traffic accident.

The problem, they say, is that there was insufficient product testing before LED bulbs came onto the market. There was a law that was supposed to take effect on January 1 that would have mandated such testing, but it was opposed and blocked by industry groups, and has been put on hold. 

Top selections from Natural Health News (30+) on lighting

Natural Health News: CFL Lights: A Risky Change

Apr 04, 2011

Over the past two years on this blog (Natural Health News) we have posted about a dozen articles regarding the risks of CFL light bulbs to your health. Many other warnings were sent in our newsletter, taught in our classes, . 

Natural Health News: More Risk with CFL light bulbs

Jan 17, 2009

CFL bulbs emit UV light and are used for this purpose in commercial hydroponic food growers. UPDATE: 25 April, 2009. Natural Health News has been covering the CFL light bulb issue for at least three years. We have 10 articles posted ...

Low Energy CFL bulbs causing a rash of problems

Jan 05, 2008

For several years now we have been warning against the use of CFL low energy fluorescent light bulbsbased on their mercury content and the EMF emitted from the transformer (like the ballast in fluorescent tube lighting) as a health ...

Yes, CFL blubs are toxic in case you did not believe our early reports

Mar 22, 2008

For many years I tried to explain to people that there was a hazardous risk to using CFL light bulbs, now being promoted by all those greenies that jumped on the bandwagon without doing all the necessary research. ...

Read more »

Posted in: CFL,first natural health news,first natural news,LED,light bulbs,natural health news

Keep Safety In Mind with CFL Bulbs

December 2010 -  Of the numerous posts we have on Natural Health News about the risk and hazard of CFL light bulbs I chose to update this one to let you know that it has been agreed to reduce mercury levels in these toxic light bulbs.

What you aren't being told is that you can still get the regular, old-fashioned type light bulbs that have been improved to give you more light, for longer hours, and with better efficiency.

LED lights are improving, are now available in more formats, and cost is coming down.

We still vote for LED.


December 2007 - In Parliament (UK) a recent discussion was brought up in regard to the much advertised CFL light bulbs. What is never mentioned in all the advertising and promotion of these bulbs as a means to save energy is that they are a hazardous waste.

You might think it amusing to worry about disposal of these light bulbs, but you should think otherwise: CFL bulbs contain approximately 6 grams of mercury.


Parliament suggest 10 steps when removing and disposing of these bulbs including: Wearing a protective mask & gloves; placing the bulb in a sealed study box using tape; placing a damp cloth in the box, and taking the sealed box to a toxic waste disposal site.

Toxic mercury can be very harmful to health and may lead to development of neurological diseases.

You might want to look into LED or halogen bulbs as an option.

Read more »

Posted in: LED,light bulbs,mercury and CFL light bulbs

LED v. CFL: We Vote for LED

Long before you heard the mainstream push to promote CFL bulbs we warned of the mervury/hazardous waste risk that seemed to be ignored by most venues.

At the same time we've warned against CFL bulbs we've educated for the switch to LED light blubs or PAR halogen types.

Now it seems that E and Daily Green have taken our heed. Mind you we have written tro them in the past about LED, while they still were promoting CFL and not paying such close attention to the hazards.

Yes LED are more costly initially the cost should come down once more people start buying them. However, over the long term, LED blubs are much more cost effective.

As we say, we are usally well ahead of the curve on health news and its impact on you, as well as often copied but never duplicated.

Want Energy Efficient, Mercury-Free LED Light Bulbs for Your Home?
Recent Technology Lights the Way to a Greener Future

Dear EarthTalk: What's the story with LED light bulbs that are reputed to be even more energy-efficient than compact fluorescents?--

Perhaps the ultimate "alternative to the alternative," the LED (light-emitting diode) light bulb may well dethrone the compact fluorescent (CFL) as king of the green lighting choices. But it has a way to go yet in terms of both affordability and brightness.

LEDs have been used widely for decades in other applications -- forming the numbers on digital clocks, lighting up watches and cell phones and, when used in clusters, illuminating traffic lights and forming the images on large outdoor television screens. Until recently LED lighting has been impractical to use for most other everyday applications because it is built around costly semiconductor technology. But the price of semiconductor materials has dropped in recent years, opening the door for some exciting changes in energy-efficient, green friendly lighting options.

According to HowStuffWorks.com, LED bulbs are lit solely by the movement of electrons. Unlike incandescents, they have no filament that will burn out; and unlike CFLs, they contain no mercury or other toxic substances. Proponents say LEDs can last some 60 times longer than incandescents and 10 times longer than CFLs. And unlike incandescents, which generate a lot of waste heat, LEDs don't get especially hot and use a much higher percentage of electricity for directly generating light.

But as with early CFLs, LED bulbs are not known for their brightness. According to a January 2008 article in Science Daily, "Because of their structure and material, much of the light in standard LEDs becomes trapped, reducing the brightness of the light and making them unsuitable as the main lighting source in the home." LED makers get around this problem in some applications by clustering many small LED bulbs together in a single casing to concentrate the light emitted. But such LED "bulbs" still don't generate light much brighter than a 35-watt incandescent.

If LEDs are going to replace incandescents and CFLs, manufacturers will have to make them brighter. EarthLED is lighting the way with its EvoLux and ZetaLux bulbs, which use multiple LEDs in a single casing to generate light. The EvoLux delivers light equal to that of a 100-watt incandescent, the company says. But the $80/bulb price tag may be tough to swallow. The ZetaLux, which retails for $49.99, delivers light equivalent to a 50- or 60-watt incandescent, will last 50,000 hours and costs only $2/yearly to run.

Other bulb makers are working on similar designs for high-powered LED bulbs, hoping that an increase in availability will help spur demand, which will in turn lower prices across the board. Until then, consumers can find LED bulbs suitable for secondary and mood lighting purposes in many hardware and big box stores. C. Crane's 1.3-watt LED bulb, for example, generates as much light as a 15-watt incandescent bulb. Check your local hardware store for other options, as well as online vendors such as Best Home LED Lighting, Bulbster, SuperBrightLEDs.com and We Love LEDs.

Read more »

Posted in: health,health news,LED,natural,natural health news,natural news,News