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California Classes LED Component Gallium Arsenide a Carcinogen

Reader LM741N, pointing to a report released this month by California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, writes "Gallium Arsenide has now been listed as a carcinogen. Given the increasing usage of gallium arsenide, the main constituent in LEDs, and their recent championing as more efficient light sources in recent news stories and Slashdot, there may be significant environmental concerns as related to their disposal. Morover, workers in industries using the substance may be at risk of cancer as well."

21 of 495 comments (clear)

  1. !Carginogen by ShakaUVM · · Score: 4, Funny

    I, for one, am terrified of anything called a "Carginogen".

    1. Re:!Carginogen by cecil_turtle · · Score: 4, Funny

      I wonder what will happen if they find the cancer warning labels can cause cancer.

  2. Re:Get cancer from an LED? by couchslug · · Score: 4, Funny

    "I guess I will have to stop eating LEDs, at least while in California."

    I hope insertion is still safe!

    --
    "This post is an artistic work of fiction and falsehood. Only a fool would take anything posted here as fact."
  3. In other news, living has been shown .... by BitterOldGUy · · Score: 5, Funny

    to cause cancer and everything associated with living. As a result, the California legislature has required that signs be posted every where that states, "Living causes cancer. To limit your risk, stop living."

    1. Re:In other news, living has been shown .... by wik · · Score: 2, Funny

      You wouldn't believe how many problems this would fix in CA.

      --
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  4. Re:Agenda based FUD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Is there a strange group out there that wants to go back to a tribal hunter/gatherer type existence? Take our population down to a couple of million?

    Yes.

  5. Re:Known to cause cancer... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Ah, California, where everything is known the cause cancer.

    Including sand. When I lived there, one of the utility bills (I forget which one) always had a statement that the company used chemicals "known to the state of California to cause cancer", because they used sand at some of the plants.

  6. This just in by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Slashdot causes cancer!*

    *in California

  7. The real reason things in CA cause cancer by davidwr · · Score: 5, Funny

    When you mix Californium and Governmentium, causing cancer is the only chemical reaction that is allowed to happen.

    The radioactive decay products of Californium include Liberelium and a heavy isotope of Governmentium called Bigovernmentium, which when combined are known to be toxic.

    --
    Knowledge is how to play a game, intelligence is how to win, wisdom is knowing what game to play.
    1. Re:The real reason things in CA cause cancer by andrikos · · Score: 5, Funny

      ...which when combined are known to be taxic.

  8. Who would have thought Arsenic was bad for you? by SEWilco · · Score: 2, Funny
    Who would have thought that a simple natural element such as Arsenic could be bad for you?

    But they haven't warned about gallium arsenide phosphide so the yellow, orange, and red LEDs must be safe.

  9. Re:Known to cause cancer... by davester666 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Billy! How often do I need to tell you to NOT EAT THE LED TAILLIGHTS! Just you wait until your father gets home!

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    Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!
  10. I want my simple band-aid solution! by philspear · · Score: 4, Funny

    Like all americans, I want a magic bullet to the problem of carcinogens and cancer! I hear a lot of chatter about incandescent light bulbs and waste, fluorescent light bulbs and mercury, and LEDs and cancer. I don't understand any of it, but I'm certain it's those bureacratic fat cats in Sacramento that are making me so very confused! If they didn't put those warnings on stuff, it probably woudn't be a problem!

    Why won't someone just make it simple? Wave an american flag in the direction of the perfect light bulb that has no real-world problems that I can pick up at walmart on my way to Ikea while driving in my hummer and forget all about cancer, global warming, and mercury forever.

    Is that really too much to ask?!? I'm beggin you, lie to me and tell me there are perfect solutions! Just give me one saying that will solve the problem completely without consequences that fits on a bumper sticker and I'm there instantly!

  11. Do they post warning signs at all the beaches? by Ellis+D.+Tripp · · Score: 4, Funny

    or does "free range" sand not cause cancer?

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    1. Re:Do they post warning signs at all the beaches? by igny · · Score: 2, Funny

      Please please I need to know if tin foil causes cancer or not.

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      In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is. - Yogi Berra
    2. Re:Do they post warning signs at all the beaches? by tiny-e · · Score: 4, Funny

      Please please I need to know if tin foil causes cancer or not.

      It's fairly well known that the body produces cancerous cells every day (in it's normal operations) -- they're usually taken out by your immune system.

      At least that's what the radio station that plays in my teeth tells me.

  12. Re:Get cancer from an LED? by supernova_hq · · Score: 5, Funny

    This is why we need a "-1 Too Much Information"

  13. Re:Known to cause cancer... by aurispector · · Score: 3, Funny

    Bah! In my day we had blankets made out of asbestos so the cigarettes we smoked in bed wouldn't burn holes. We had lead paint on our tableware and lead in our water supply pipes. We put mercury solutions on our cuts, brushed our teeth with PCB's and washed our hair with dioxin. We spent every day in the sun without sunblock and it was GOOD for us.

    Kids these days have it too easy.

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  14. Phew! by RealGrouchy · · Score: 2, Funny

    Boy am I glad that I live outside of California, where I'm safe from those carcinogens!

    - RG>

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    Hey pal, this isn't a pleasantforest, so don't waste my time with pleasantries!
  15. Re:Known to cause cancer... by zippthorne · · Score: 2, Funny

    What if the relatives weren't there, would that change your mind?

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  16. Re:Known to cause cancer... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    That's just a comparison of the desirability of living in those places. Not everyone who doesn't currently live in California desires to live in California. Not even most.

    Moreover, many of us wish the Californians would stay there instead of Californicating the rest of the states.

    Yup, I'm a native Oregonian.
    "Come visit us again and again. This is a state of excitement. But for heaven's sake, don't move here to live."