Linear Fluorescent Bulbs

Long-Lasting Fluorescent Bulbs have been around in use for quite some time.  Fluorescent bulbs are energy efficient which enable it to last as much as 10x more than regular light bulbs.  The traditional linear light requires greater energy compared to compact fluorescent bulbs. Fluorescent light bulbs are filled with a gas that contains low-pressure  mercury vapor and argon.  Fluorescent light bulbs, in contrast to a number of other mercury-containing consumer items, are some of the handful of products that non-mercury alternatives don't exist. Still, in the last Two decades, the mercury content in fluorescent tubes and light bulbs has dropped progressively. Fluorescent light tubes, as seen in business office and school environments, create a consistent, virtually shadow-free light.  Equally compact fluorescent light bulbs and fluorescent tubes have a gas which gives off unseen light when energized by electrical power.

Lamp Ballasts

As PCB-containing light ballasts grow older, the possibility that they'll leak or  catch fire raises. This danger is worsened because there's frequently  no way to identify whether ballasts are leaking or going to catch fire simply by  taking a look at the light fixture. Many schools in america constructed prior to 1979 have light ballasts  that contain PCBs. The PCBs are contained inside the light ballasts' capacitors  as well as in the ballasts' pot plant material. Until the late 1970s, PCBs were commonly  used as insulators in electrical equipment because they have high tolerance to  heat, do not burn easily, and are non-explosive.

To eliminate the potential hazard posed by  PCB-containing light ballasts in the most efficient manner, EPA recommends  removing all PCB-containing ballasts (whether leaking or not).  This can be done as part of a lighting  retrofit which includes removing old fluorescent tubes as well as ballasts and  replacing the entire lighting fixture with newer, more energy efficient  fixtures. A complete lighting retrofit not only eliminates the hazard, it also  increases energy efficiency.  ( See the Energy Star website  for more detailed information.) It's an  investment that pays off with long-lasting returns to your students, your  community, and the environment.