Mixed Message Dept: CFL's in Blister Paks
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11. 4.06
It is wonderful that Home Depot Canada is giving us all of these EcoOptions; we have been taking them up on it and converting our entire house to CFL's. Except, we now have a garbage bag full of blister pak plastic, lacerated hands from trying to open them, and wonder- how much energy will be wasted taking all of that plastic to the landfill in Michigan? According to a recent post in ::ReadingToronto, 3.1 Billion tons of CO2 is generated moving our garbage. Surely Home Depot could find a supplier who would have some eco-options for this. Reducing greenhouse gas will take more than just changing our lightbulbs- we have to start thinking about how we package them and buy them as well.
Surely Home Depot could find a supplier who would have some eco-options for this.
Or surely they could use their tremendous market position to influence their suppliers. Pull a WalMart.
We do seem to use too much packaging, but there are often hidden benefits. This is purely speculative, but let's say blister packs experience 10% less breakage in transit than cardboard...that could mean a lot of energy saved.
Fresh fruit & veg is another one. I've always preferred to see it piled up, but apparently packaged fruit has a longer shelf life--less spoilage. It's all very complicated.
Aren't those pack recyclable? They should at least make them in a plastic that can easily be recycled.. That would be a minimum.
Can we ever just be happy that progress is being made? I'm not trying to jump on anyones case here, just that we should be happy that they are starting to do anything at all.
They are taking a great step here in making these bulbs have greater exposure to the public. I'm just tickled pink that I can drive down the road and get the right sized bulb I need and not have to settle for one that a funky off color or is too weak for the job.
Either home depot uses its leverage a la walmart (unlikely) or the US government needs to charge for the desposal of waste at the time of purchase like they do in Germany.
Companies just aren't going to do this on there own, it isn't even close to being on the radar.
One thing to keep in mind is that by switching to CFLs one will consume far fewer bulbs over one's lifetime, leading to the packaging waste produced by a single consumber being quite little. CFLs are quite fragile compared to most of Home Depot's stock and need the extra protection.
It's quite different from buying eggs in a blister pack once a week.
I just bought a pack of six Noma CFLs at Canadian Tire, and they were packaged in cardboard.
Walmart has sixpack in cardboard. TCPI, the supplier of Home Depot makes individuals packaged in cardboard for other purposes. It can be done.
One reason for having not much of packing/wraping material in germany is, that consumers started to unpack their goods in the store and leave the packaging right there. that of course the stores didn't like to much so they told their suppliers to reduce the packaging. that was 15 years ago.
I worry about breakage with those blister packs. Brooken CFLs leak mercury vapor, a highly toxic substance, and it is hard not to break the bulb when you struggle to get them out of those blister packs. It is a health hazard that should be addressed.
Or you can get a pair of scissors to cut the packages open with.
'One reason for having not much of packing/wraping material in germany is, that consumers started to unpack their goods in the store and leave the packaging right there. that of course the stores didn't like to much so they told their suppliers to reduce the packaging. that was 15 years ago.'
Nice move. I might start doing this myself, especially for plastic packaging. I'll leave a note with the waste saying that they need to recycle it.
I assumed the plastic CFL blister packs were recyclable. Not so-- at least for GE ones. General Electric, in response to my query, informed me they are made of PVC. Polyvinyl Chloride looks just like recyclable plastics but is a real problem as it burns at the melt temperature of the usual recyclable plastics and can ruin a big batch of recyclables. Burning PVC off-gasses dioxins, and PVC in general is a health problem as it releases hormone-disruptors and carcinogens. (source: www.besafenet.com/pvc/)
Unfortunately in response to my question GE said they have no plans to change to either cardboard or a safe recyclable plastic. I told them this was unnacceptable, especially for a product that aims to be a "green" alternative, and said I regretted that until they saw fit to improve the packaging or could tell me why there was no alternative to PVC, they have lost a customer.
GE needs to know it's time to change the packaging-- do send them an email at info@lighting.ge.com if you're concerned about this.
The CFL's are not all they are made out to be. The answer to pollution,and global warming. The idear is right on, but the product really missed the mark. Not only do these come in far too much un-recyclable plastic, but far worse,they come with a far more dangerous by product. Every CFL bulb contains mercury. Yes it is a very minimal amount, but multiply that by the millions of bulbs that will have to be disposed of sooner or later. Where is all this mercury going to go. It would be great if it was all disposed to a toxic waste dump. But really now, how many people are just going to throw them in the garbage,which will end up in the land fill, which will end up in the soil ,and water. Also these bulbs are all being made in China, one of the most polluting,and non green countries in the world. One more thing, companies such as Wallmart are really pushing these because the profit is hugh on these products.
There must be a better answer,I know we can find one...
The CFL's are not all they are made out to be. The answer to pollution,and global warming. The idear is right on, but the product really missed the mark. Not only do these come in far too much un-recyclable plastic, but far worse,they come with a far more dangerous by product. Every CFL bulb contains mercury. Yes it is a very minimal amount, but multiply that by the millions of bulbs that will have to be disposed of sooner or later. Where is all this mercury going to go. It would be great if it was all disposed to a toxic waste dump. But really now, how many people are just going to throw them in the garbage,which will end up in the land fill, which will end up in the soil ,and water. Also these bulbs are all being made in China, one of the most polluting,and non green countries in the world. One more thing, companies such as Wallmart are really pushing these because the profit is hugh on these products.
There must be a better answer,I know we can find one...