Go green and die: CFL's found hazardous to your health

Their report advises that the bulbs should not be left on for extended periods, particularly near someone's head, as they emit poisonous materials when switched on.

Peter Braun, who carried out the tests at the Berlin's Alab Laboratory, said: "For such carcinogenic substances it is important they are kept as far away as possible from the human environment."

The bulbs are already widely used in the UK following EU direction to phase out traditional incandescent lighting by the end of this year.

But the German scientists claimed that several carcinogenic chemicals and toxins were released when the environmentally-friendly compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) were switched on, including phenol, naphthalene and styrene.

Andreas Kirchner, of the Federation of German Engineers, said: "Electrical smog develops around these lamps.

"Electrical smog?" Don't you love it? Hoisted upon their own green petard.

Considering the fact that the UN is about to declare that planet earth has the same rights as human beings, we're just going to be SOL when it comes to stuff that's good for the environment but deadly to human health.

Maybe Obama can find a way to tax them. We could include them as a "sin tax" where use of the bulbs is bad for your health, but CFL's are necessary for Mother Gaia to survive.

After all, Mother Earth has rights too, right?