Lighting the way

Mary Rayner and Hanna Backman take a shine to low energy light bulbs.

Good news

Environmental issues in the light bulb industry have come a long way since we last covered them in 2005. Talks are underway at a European level about phasing out the sale of traditional style incandescent light bulbs. Some retailers have made public commitments to stop selling non-energy efficient ones. Older style low energy compact fluorescent (CFL) light bulbs have been replaced with a new generation of non-flicker, brighter and dimmable models. And super-efficient LED bulbs are finding their way into the mainstream consumer market. So, is it all good news?

Lights out for incandescents

According to the Greenpeace light bulbs campaign: “80 per cent of bulbs in UK homes are inefficient, wasteful incandescent bulbs. But, for around 30 years, an altogether better option has been available to us - the energy saving bulb, or CFL. CFLs use five times less energy, last up to 12 times longer and could save UK consumers around £1.2 billion in electricity bills per year. If all domestic bulbs in the UK were CFLs, then we could cut our CO2 emissions by over five million tonnes - more than the CO2 emitted by 26 of the world’s lowest emitting countries combined.”

The incandescent light bulb may soon lose its status as the most common bulb, as manufacturers and retailers are beginning to commit to phasing it out. They’ve been a huge commercial success since they were brought onto the market by Thomas Edison. But they’re very inefficient, emitting far more of the energy they use in heat than they do in light (see ‘lumens per watt’ on table).

The EU Commission is drawing up proposals on energy efficiency requirements for office and street lighting “to be adopted by 2008” and on incandescent bulbs and other forms of lighting in private homes by 2009. The EU requires meeting “A target of 20% energy efficiency savings by 2020, requiring homes, offices and streets to switch to energy-saving lighting”. Gordon Brown has also pledged to phase out old light bulbs by 2011. The proposed phase out will only cover basic ‘A’ shaped incandescents at this stage; candle bulbs, golf ball or mini globe bulbs and other decorative and special incandescent bulbs will come later.

Retailers have taken the bull by the horns with plans to phase out the sale of old light bulbs - Currys did it first in the UK, followed shortly by the Co-operative Group. Big companies are showing varying levels of support for the proposed phase-out, but none appear to be going as far as retailers and withdrawing basic ‘A’ shaped incandescents before 2011. So far, Philips has been the scheme’s most vocal corporate supporter, although it appears to be moving slower in the US where it is working with environmental campaign and industry groups on a phase-out date of 2016.

On an international level, Australia was the first country to announce a ban on the traditional light bulb. Canada, Chile and US states New Jersey and California are also considering a ban. Also, over in the USA, Wal-Mart announced plans last summer to sell 100 million CFL bulbs in one year.

Light bulb comparison table

*varies widely depending on make, type and quantity

Manufacturers moving on?

The manufacturing industry would like us to believe that it is also pushing in this direction. The three largest light bulb makers in the world teamed up in March to push for energy-saving alternatives in a bid to cut carbon dioxide emissions. Their strategy includes “public incentives to encourage consumers to purchase more efficient products and setting performance standards that will eliminate the least efficient products from the market.”(1) Given a history of reticence towards the CFL, it will come as no surprise to learn that this recent statement by the European Lamp Companies [ELC] Federation, whose members include General Electric, Siemens and Royal Philips Electronics, did not give a concrete time frame or target.

Despite Philips being one of the leading manufacturers committed to phasing out incandescent light bulbs, it has been criticised by Greenpeace for having the largest market share of incandescent bulbs in India (30%). The NGO is now calling for Philips to extend the same environmental consciousness to its Indian strategy and stop selling the hazardous light bulb in India.(2) The Greenpeace-led Ban the Bulb campaign is calling for the end of incandescent light bulbs through innovation and legislation.

In response to a questionnaire sent by Ethical Consumer, B&Q stated: “...we can confirm that space devoted to energy saving bulbs in our stores will increase to 25% from September 2007 and we will be improving our range to include more A rated bulbs and LED bulbs as an alternative to some halogen bulbs”.

Disposing of CFLs

The mercury content in the average CFL - no more than 5 milligrams - would fit on the tip of a ballpoint pen, but it’s still a hazardous material.(9) More often than not light bulbs are broken when they’re disposed of. When that happens with a CFL, the mercury vaporises and is deposited. It then is absorbed into plant and animal systems, as well as the soil.(10)

However, since a compact fluorescent bulb uses 75% less energy than an incandescent bulb, and lasts at least six times longer, it is responsible for far less mercury pollution in the long run. A coal-burning power plant will emit four times more mercury to produce the electricity for an incandescent bulb than for a compact fluorescent.(11)

Because of their mercury content, CFLs create waste disposal problems. Used bulbs need to be recycled rather than go in the bin. Within the EU, CFL lamps are subject to the WEEE recycling scheme. The retail price includes an amount to pay for recycling and manufacturers and importers have an obligation to collect and recycle CFL lamps. Local authorities can inform on where to recycle bulbs in every area, although only a few authorities have set up their own scheme.

Notably IKEA is currently the only major retailer offering CFL recycling points.(12) Megaman say it doesn’t take its own lamps back, but is arranging recycling bins through a company called City Electrical Factors (tel. 01282 614786). According to Megaman, all used lamps are recycled at its mercury-recovery plant that prevents unsafe disposal of mercury. It has also adopted lead-free glass tubes and low mercury levels of 3mg, which it claims is an industry first.(13)

CFLs - frequently asked questions

Currently, CFLs are the most easily-accessible low energy light bulb on the market. Consumers have, rightly in the past, had reservations about certain features of CFLs, but these now seem largely to have been resolved. Here are some common misconceptions:
1. Frequent switching reduces the life of CFLs: a CFL’s life is no longer affected by switching. The current standards for ‘Energy Saving Recommended’ accreditation requires over 3,000 switching cycles per 8,000 hours of tested life.
2. CFLs need to be left switched on for more than 45 minutes as they consume so much energy when first switched on: there is no reason to keep a CFL switched on for longer than a normal bulb as they do not consume any greater energy during start up and run very efficiently immediately after the first 2 or 3 seconds.
3. CFLs give a colder colour light than ordinary bulbs: under the Energy Saving Trust’s ‘Energy Saving Recommended’ accreditation, CFLs have to emit the same warm light tone as incandescents.
4. CFLs flicker: CFLs give a constant, flicker free, non-stroboscopic light. They operate at high frequency through their electronic controller at between 30,000-50,000 hertz.
5. You can’t dim CFLs: there are new lamps available right now that you can dim on ordinary domestic dimmer switches or alternately by staged dimming using a standard light switch. The number of these types of products is increasing.
6. Some CFLs seem to start very slowly, don’t give the light they promise or don’t last as long as they claim: beware of poor quality, cheap lamps: make sure that you only buy CFLs with the ‘Energy Saving Recommended’ logo on the box from the major manufacturers. This will show that they are of the very best quality and have received independent third party accreditation in meeting light output and life standards.
Information courtesy of the Lighting Association www.lightingassociation.com tel: 01952 290905.

Energy labelling

Most consumers do not select energy efficient light bulbs by energy label, but by technology. There is, however, a full EU energy label scheme for light bulbs, like that for other domestic appliances such as fridges and washing machines. Generally speaking, on the A-G scale, most CFLs have a rating of A or B, halogen bulbs are D rated and conventional incandescent bulbs are E or F rated.

The Energy Saving Trust’s “energy saving recommended” label is found on nearly 200 light bulbs – look for the blue logo. Certain models of the following brands covered on the table carry the label:
• Regular-shaped CFLs: GE, Ikea, Megaman, Osram, Philips, Sylvania.
• Candle-shaped CFLs: GE, Ikea, Megaman, Osram, Philips.

Contact the Energy Saving Trust for more detailed information (see links section).

Working conditions

Supply chain policies
Ikea is the only major company on the table with an independently monitored code of conduct for workers’ rights at supplier factories. Its latest social and environmental report is quite transparent about problems it is encountering in its supply chain. For example, it has commissioned extra audits in countries where child labour had been identified as a problem. Ikea admitted that it had particular problems with child labour at suppliers in China. We welcome this sort of transparency in reporting as it allows more open discussion with campaign groups and encourages other companies to be more honest about issues in their supply chains.

Of the smaller companies, Ecozone (BioBulb), Kosnic and Megaman did provide us with some information on their supply chains, but none was sufficient to achieve our middle rating. Omicron provided us with a copy of its audit report, and disclosed the name of the independent auditors it used in its Chinese factories.

Country of origin

Without exception, of the companies that replied to our questionnaire, all produced at least one type of light bulb in China. Working conditions can be very poor and independent unions are effectively illegal, making independent auditing of supply chain policies important. Companies only receive a mark under our Human Rights column if they source from more than one country on our list of oppressive regimes. This is to penalise companies that routinely source from several oppressive regimes, rather than just one. Where a company has not disclosed country of origin to us, and operates in a sector where sourcing from oppressive regimes is common, it receives a small mark under Human Rights.

LEDs – the way forward?

LEDs have been around for a long time, but are only just making their way into the mainstream consumer market. At the moment, LEDs for consumer use are generally only in the shape of a halogen bulb – or GU10 as they are commonly called – meaning they can be ‘retrofitted’ into recessed ceiling lights. A few traditionally shaped LED light bulbs are available, though aren’t currently very easy to get hold of on the high street.

At the moment, it seems that LEDs don’t produce the quality of light that either halogen or the new generation of CFLs do. But it shouldn’t be too long before we see LED bulbs alongside the current offering in mainstream shops. Advances in technology should see them becoming brighter, and cheaper, in the not too distant future. Advocates of energy efficient lighting are predicting that LEDs will in the end replace CFLs as the bulb to have.

If you’d like to use LED bulbs in your house, then we’d suggest you trial one or two to see what the light is like. The current advice seems to be that they’re bright enough for use as side lights, but not for lighting a whole room. They’re currently more expensive than CFLs, but you will save money in the long run as they last even longer (see light bulb comparison table).

A 3.4 watt LED is said to be suitable as a direct replacement for a standard 40 watt incandescent lightbulb (or a 10 watt CFL bulb). The only traditionally shaped LED light bulbs we can find for sale in the UK are 1 watt (from Omicron). A 3.4 watt traditionally shaped LED bulb has been launched in the Netherlands under the Pharox brand name. It has yet to find its way to the UK, so has not been included on the table. The bulb was created by Lemnis Lighting, a technology company reputedly managed by two members of the Philips family.(20)

Halogen-style GU10 LED bulbs are already on sale in B&Q and also from Micromark, Omicron and Philips. Traditional light bulb shape LEDs will be in stock in most B&Q stores from September 2007. Omicron – a Best Buy – 1 watt LEDS are available online from www.bltdirect.co.uk, priced from £8.99 - £10.99.

A spokesperson from Osram said that it had many consumer LED products and that retrofit LEDs would be introduced into consumer markets in the near future.(18) Philips said it had a number of new product lines for the home and that other LED products were set for launch in autumn 2007.(19)

Links

Energy Saving Trust for the ‘energy saving recommended’ label: www.energysavingtrust.org.uk, 0800 512 012
Greenpeace light bulbs campaign: www.greenpeace.org.uk/climate/light-bulbs, 020 7865 8100
Lighting chapter in “How to live a low-carbon life: the individual’s guide to stopping climate change”, Chris Goodall, ISBN: 978-1-84407-426-6
www.treehugger.com/design_architecture/lighting/ for discussions on low energy lighting

References

1 Toby Sterling, Associated Press 02 Mar 2007 www.business-humanrights.org/Categories/Sectors/Furnishings/Lightinglightbulb
2 www.greenpeace.org, viewed 14/5/07
4 B&Q ECRA light bulbs questionnaire reponse, 5/07
5 GE ECRA light bulbs questionnaire response, 5/07
6 Osram ECRA light bulbs questionnaire response, 5/07
7 Philips ECRA light bulbs questionnaire response, 5/07
8 Richard Buckle at SLI Sylvania, conversation with ECRA, 17/5/07
9 “Mercury in energy-saving bulbs worries scientists”, Lisa Von Ahn, Reuters, 27/3/07
10 “Mercury in energy-efficient light bulbs raises concerns” Allison Jones, Canadian Press, Canada.com, 29/4/07
11 www.treehugger.com, “What about Mercury from compact fluorescents?” by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 17/6/05
12 www.greenpeace.org.uk/climate/cfl-bulbs-the-myths, 5/07
13 www.megamanuk.com, 15/3/07
14 Nuclear Engineering International Buyers Guide to Nuclear Power:www.connectingpower.com, 15/5/06
15 www.peri.umass.edu: Top corporate air polluters named, 11/5/06
16 www.havells.com, 18/5/07
17 Greenpeace Business: 80, 2/05
18 SACOM: Clean Computers Campaign: Report on Labour Rights in the Computer Industry in China, 10/1/07
18 Osram ECRA light bulbs questionnaire response, 5/07
19 Philips ECRA light bulbs questionnaire response, 5/07
20 www.treehugger.com/files/2007/02/new_led_lamp_ph.php, viewed 22/5/07
21 Email from Richard Buckle, Marketing Manager at Havells Sylvania, 22/5/07