Light Bulb Phase-Out: Robbing Peter to Pay Paul

Monday, 13 October 2008 23:28

“Dumping toxic mercury in landfills as a result of phasing out inefficient light bulbs is like robbing Peter to pay Paul. You just end up replacing one environmental problem with another. Peter Garrett and the other Environment Ministers need to act decisively to avoid another toxic bungle,” said Helen Kerley, Waste Minimisation Officer at TEC.

“The phase out of incandescent lighting is an important policy for reducing greenhouse emissions, but without recycling we’ll be creating hundreds of tonnes of one of the most toxic substances known. CFLs should be a top priority at the next Environment Protection and Heritage Council meeting in November.”

In its submission to the Regulatory Impact Statement on the Phase-out of Incandescent Light Bulbs, which closed on Friday, TEC called for responsibility to be placed on the manufacturers and importers of CFLs to ensure that they don’t damage environmental and human health.

“CFLs contain anywhere between 1–5mg of mercury which, when disposed of in landfill, often breaks down into the toxic methyl mercury. This vapor is even more toxic and is easily distributed via the wind and can find its way into local environmental systems, including waterways.”

“Australia already has 71 million fluorescent tubes in use, almost all of which go to landfill when replaced. And an extra 23 million CFLs have been handed out as part of the NSW Government Greenhouse Gas Abatement Scheme. This alone has the potential to contribute 115, 000 grams of mercury to landfill.”

“An extended producer responsibility scheme will provide a viable disposal pathway for this increased CFL use.  If implemented, this approach can avoid problems associated with curbside recycling contamination, disposal to landfill and infrequent council hazardous waste collections.”