Massachusetts Executive Suggests President Bush Look More Closely at Mercury-Free Lamps to Save Our Environment and Protect Our Children

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Massachusetts Executive Suggests President Bush Look More Closely at Mercury-Free Lamps to Save Our Environment and Protect Our Children

MASSACHUSETTS, WOBURN, Feb. 13 -/E-Wire/-- In a letter to President Bush, Lou Panico, CEO of Xenon Corporation of Woburn, MA., has suggested that mercury-free lamps be looked at more closely if we are to save our environment and conserve energy.

Numerous reports have been published recently concerning the hazards of our environment being polluted from coal-fired power plants and manufacturing or waste dumps that are used as receptacles for toxin-laden chemicals and materials.

In many bodies of water in the United States, methyl mercury in fresh water fish exceeds the levels considered safe for consumption by pregnant women and small children and, in some cases, by the general public. Pregnant women who eat contaminated fish can pass mercury to their unborn children, who are sensitive to toxic effects. According to the National Academy of Sciences, it is estimated that 60,000 children are born each year with learning disabilities attributable to mercury exposure to the womb.

Mercury has been found to be one of the key culprits responsible for these pollutants. ATSDR/EPA ranked mercury #3 in a list of 275 hazardous substances. Arsenic ranks #1 and lead #2. According to Panico, mercury lamps are contributing a significant amount of mercury contamination. In Massachusetts alone 12 million lamps containing mercury are disposed of each year.

Many hospital facilities are bearing down on the use of mercury found in medical instruments. Breakage or waste material from this equipment can cause mercury poisoning. When mercury lamps, used in manufacturing break, the mercury finds its way into waste disposal sites, thereby increasing toxicity in the environment.

The US Navy has outlawed mercury on all their ships. Michigan State has outlawed mercury in their medical facilities with Massachusetts and other states following suit.

Panico, CEO of Xenon, a company that is involved in the manufacture of curing and bonding equipment, claims mercury can be greatly reduced, if noteliminated, in the manufacture of automobiles, floor tiles, CDs and DVDs, fiber optics, medical devices, credit cards and other products by using mercury-free lamps, rather than old fashioned mercury lamps.

"Mercury lamps,' says Panico, "carry with them the danger of emitting toxins in the air, which can prove deleterious to the working environment and the safety of workers, especially if the lamp should break. When put in a waste disposal facility, the mercury seeps into the ground and eventually wreaks havoc". Even worse, mercury vapors escape into the atmosphere when broken or unbroken lamps end up in an incinerator.

"Because of the inherent dangers associated with mercury toxins," states Panico, "rather than use mercury vapor lamps for manufacturing, "XENON has successfully developed NOVA XL mercury free lamps to replace mercury lamps in just about every production application requiring bonding or coating of parts."

Panico added, "Mercury lamps should be replaced with NOVA XL mercury-free lamps. With instant on/off switching, the NOVA XL is on only when needed. Mercury lamps must remain on continuously for the mercury to be heated high enough for vaporization and turn it into a gas. When shut down, it takes typically 5 minutes to restart while NOVA XL lamps can be shut off instantly as soon as the cure is complete, typically 0.5 to 1.5 seconds. Energy consumption is greatly reduced since mercury lamps consume 60,480 kws/hr/yr while NOVA XL lamps only consume 3801 kws/hr/yr, a huge cost savings.

"NOVA XL lamps not only maintain the advantage of removal of mercury and energy savings, but have outstanding efficacy to destroy and prevent the spread of air borne infectious diseases and microorganisms such as mold, spores, yeast, viruses and bacteria."

According to Panico, some companies are already leading the way to a mercury free manufacturing environment. "Time Warner is making DVDs, Boston Scientific is producing Medical Devices and JDS is producing fiber optic connectors, all with NOVA XL lamps."

Panico closed by saying, "Less legislation and dollars are required for the disposal of mercury free lamps that have the potential to eliminate all mercury disposal facilities.

"If we are to safeguard our environment and protect our people," says Panico, "we must take a closer look at the real villain-mercury. With the use of NOVA XL mercury-free lamps, we can protect our future."

Lou Panico, CEO of Xenon Corporation, Telephone: 1-800-XENON-XL 1-[REDACTED-PHONE], Fax: 1-[REDACTED-PHONE]

http://www.xenon-corp.com

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