Gal sheds light on sign, florescent bulbs

Q. Why does westbound traffic on East Eighth Street crossing North High have a yield sign, but eastbound traffic a stop sign? I have seen drivers not even slow down for the yield sign.

A. This is one of those instances where I had to ask a question before I asked the question. I didn’t know who decides where signs go and how they decide that. But yet again, Suzanne Loomis, director of public works, came to the rescue with helpful information.

Loomis said public works staff determines how street signs are posted based on the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.

“This is basically the traffic control bible,” Loomis said.

The Eighth and High streets intersection has some unique issues because of the skew of the railroad and the offset intersection of the streets, Loomis said. A yield sign is utilized because if a stop sign was placed according to regulations, vehicles would have to stop on the tracks — “which is never a good scenario, especially on a busy line like the BNSF,” Loomis said. But if a stop sign was moved eastward, westbound vehicles wouldn’t have good sight distance for High Street traffic.

Ergo, the city uses a yield sign with a supplementary plaque to remind the public “Trains and High Street traffic do not stop,” Loomis said.

Loomis also said the intersection traffic control and railroad crossing signals will be upgraded by the railroad within the next year, and that will change the layout somewhat.

Q. We have a question about the energy-saving (compact fluorescent) light bulbs. Since they contain mercury, we hear they are dangerous if they get broken. Should we still throw them in the trash, or how should we dispose of them?

A. With the squiggly CFLs becoming the bulb of choice for many households, it’s apparent even though they supposedly last many years, at some point, they will have to be disposed of. And since they contain mercury, naturally we’re all a little unsure of just what to do with them.

Roy Patton, supervisor of solid waste for Harvey County, said Harvey Countians can use the transfer station’s household hazardous waste program to dispose of the bulbs for free. (Business customers can do so for a fee.) The county has a contract piggy-backed with Kansas State University for proper disposal of the bulbs, Patton said.

However, Patton said if a CFL “pops,” leaving behind a pinhole in the bulb, rather than simply burning out, he said the light bulb might as well be thrown away, because the mercury will all be gone in the bulb. The mercury in the bulb is a vapor, he said — not as hazardous as say the liquid mercury in old-school thermometer.

And if a light bulb breaks, again, all the mercury is going to be out of the bulb, Patton said, so the remnants can be put in the trash.

The EPA has some guidelines as to how to clean up a broken light bulb. They suggest first airing out the room by opening a window and leaving the room for 15 minutes or more. They suggest shutting off a central forced-air heating/air condition system if you have one.

On a hard surface, scoop up glass fragments and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a glass jar with a metal lid or in a sealed plastic bag. Use sticky tape such as duct tape to pick up remaining small pieces and powder. Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place towels in the jar or bag. They recommend not using a vacuum or broom to clean it up.

On a rug or carpet, go ahead and follow the first couple of steps, but if vacuuming is needed after visible materials are removed, vacuum the area but remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister) and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic bag.

The jars and bags should be disposed of immediately.

As far as clothing or bedding, the EPA says materials that come in direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder should be thrown away. They say such cloth should not be washed because mercury fragments in the clothing may contaminate the machine and/or pollute sewage. But the clothes you wear while cleaning it up, anything that hasn’t come in direct contact with the materials from the broken bulb, can be washed. Shoes can be wiped with damp paper towels or disposable wipes, and put the wipes or towels in a jar or plastic bag for disposal.

And, of course, wash your hands when finished.

Now, while on the phone, Patton gave me some info I’d never heard about, but thought it was fascinating. Apparently, CFLs actually send out a radio frequency, as Patton said he’s heard of people who have trouble with satellite TV and the little light bulbs turned out to be the culprit. Patton said he took one apart and discovered a very small circuit board in the bulb apparatus. Fascinating, and there’s some stuff online about this.

And with that intriguing concept, I bid you farewell. See you next week!