The Ban The Bulb energy efficiency campaign is one of Dr Matt Prescott's environmental projects  | Contact BTB  
     Energy Saving Day (E-Day) | Oxford Earth Summit | Earth Summit Info | Environmental Rating Agency | "Heat" | 100 Years
                   Please contact Matt if you would like to support Ban The Bulb or next year's Energy Saving Day (E-Day)
www.banthebulb.org 
banner
              A campaign to save money and help the environment by using energy efficient light bulbs

Campaign Archive: (Feb 05 to present)

Campaign Goals:

1. Create a deadline for action Ban the sale of incandescents by specific dates Ban 60W + 100W incandescents first (bayonet + screw)
Ban other incandescent designs later
2. Remove the price advantage of incandescents Increase the cost of incandescent light bulbs
Reduce the sales tax (VAT) on CFLs from 17.5% to 5%
3. Help the poor
Help the poor to replace their incandescents  Help the poor to save money on their energy bills
4. Encourage responsible recycling
Encourage the responsible recycling of CFLs Encourage fair + adequate funding for recycling Encourage discussions amongst recycling stakeholders
5. Encourage + strengthen supporting legislation
Include light bulbs in the EU's Eco Directive Explain the pros + cons of the EU's RoHS Directive
6. Propose appriopriate exemptions Make the case for appropriate medical and  specialist exemptions
7. Encourage continued innovation
Propose that technology neutral "watts per lumen"
criteria should be included in ban legislation
Propose "watts per lumen per m2" as further criteria
Highlight promising technologies as they emerge
8. Encourage energy efficiency and conservation
Explain the benefits of greater energy efficiency Explain the benefits of turning things off Accelerate the uptake of available technologies
9. Use LEDs to set energy performance standards
LEDs offer a 90% energy saving CFLs offer a 65-80% energy saving High efficiency incandescents offer a 25% saving Incandescents offer 0% energy saving

Banning incandescent light bulbs would...

Save 2 to 5 Million tonnes of CO2 per year in the UK 
Save 23 to 53 Million tonnes of CO2 per year in the EU 

Global Energy Use:



Thanks to...OilPrice.com

Links:

BBC "Green Room" 3 Feb 06
Light bulbs: Not such a bright idea
Comments

BBC "Green Room" 21 April 06
Shedding light on call to ban bulb
Comments

BBC "Green Room" 20 Oct 06
Where have all the leaders gone? 
Comments

BBC article 29 Jun 06 Lighting the key to energy saving
IEA : Lights Labour Lost report

BBC article 2 Nov 06 Bulbs must be efficient by 2009

BBC "Green Room" 19 Jan 07 The need for ambition + imagination
Stern Review: Summary

Guardian article 1 Feb 07 Should I replace incandescents now?
Worldwatch: Effects of WEEE Directive

BBC article 31 Jan 07 Plan to ban light bulbs... in California

Nine MSN article 20 Feb 07 Plan to ban light bulbs... in Australia

BBC article 20 Feb 07 Australia pulls plug on old bulbs

Courier Mail article 21 Feb 07 See the light Turnbull

EurActiv article 21 Feb 07 How many EU members does it  take to change a light bulb?

Guardian article 22 Feb 07 Should we ban these bulbs?

Scotsman article 24 Feb 07 How many light bulbs does it take
to change the world?

Daily Mail article 10 Mar 07 EU switches off our old light bulbs

BBC "Green Room" 16 July 07 Sex sells, but at what cost?

The Guardian article 27 Sept 07 UK to phase out 150W, 100W + 60W bulbs

The Guardian article 27 Sept 07
Ban The Bulb?


International Light Bulb Campaigns 18 Seconds (US)
Greenpeace India : BTB petition (India)
www.banthebulb.co.uk (UK: unaffiliated)

Campaigns One Watt Initiative (IEA)
One Billion Bulbs (US)
Big Green Switch (UK)

Eco Portal Eco Earth Info (US)

References Homestayfinder: How CFLs work MPs' Letters: EU light bulb rules Wikipedia: Ozone Depletion
EU: Kyoto Protocol
Lighting Industry Federation
>LIF: Lamp Guide 2001 pdf
UK Climate Change Programme
>UK CCP: Review pdf
UK Market Transformation Programme
ECCP Report 2001 pdf
European Lamp Companies Federation
DTI: WEEE Directive
Energy Saving Trust
GE: Soft White Dimmable CFLs
Cubans + Jamaicans hand out free CFLs
ELCFED FAQs 

Lighting Advice
Energy Saving Trust
Lighting
Bulb ratings
Lighting choices 
Low energy fittings
Save Your 20%
Customer Utility Services

Light bulb suppliers
lightbulbs.co.uk  
Just LED  
Direct Trade Supplies 
Light Rabbit  
Light Rabbit : Commercial 
AVR LED Track Lighting 
Bulb Buddy 
Energy Bulb 
Synergy Lighting USA (USA)
Express Light Bulbs 
LED Light Bulbs 
LED Lighting Supplier 
eco LED Light 
E-Leds 
EcoPal (Ireland)  
LED Lights 
LED Tape 
Eco St 
LED Eco Lights 
Light Bulb Planet 
Green Led 
LineLite 
First Light Direct 
Lamps On Line 
UltraLEDS (UK)
LiteBulbs 
Bright Green Technology (signs) 
Eco Friendly Light Bulbs 
Go Green Lights (UK)
Energy Saving World (UK)
Light Bulbs Direct (UK)
Better Generation (UK)
Efficient Light (UK)
Ultima (UK)
Megaman (UK)
Amazon.Com (US)
The Bulbman (US)
LED Online [LEDs] (UK)
OptoSource [LEDs] (UK)
CyberLux [LEDs] (US)
Androv Medical (UK)
BestBulb  (UK)
The Light Bulb (UK)

Solar 
Solar Power Centre (UK)
Intelligent Energy Solutions (UK)
Solar Insiders  (UK)
Solar Gadget Store (UK)
Select Solar Panels (UK)

Energy Saving Advice
Conserve Energy  (UK)
Intelligent Energy Solutions (UK)

Solar Security 
Solar Security Solutions (UK)

Energy Company Advice 
Good Energy Shop (UK)

Home Energy Generation / Storage
Cyber Energy (UK)

Low carbon technology sites
The Solar Centre (UK)

Price comparison sites
Business Electricity Prices (UK)
Business Gas Prices (UK)
USwitch: Business Energy (UK)
Home Advisory Service (UK)
UK Power (UK)
Business Gas  (UK) Business Electricity  (UK)

Solar Price Comparison Services
Talk Solar Panels (UK)
Talk Solar Boilers (UK)
Solar Quote Provider (UK)

Solar Lighting
Lux Outdoor Ligting (UK)
The Eco Experts (UK)
http://www.theecoexperts.co.uk
Light bulb history
An overview
1809 Humphrey Davy (Arc lamp) 1820 Warren De la Rue (vacuum + wire) 1879 Edison and Swan (carbon + cotton) 1880 Edison (carbon + bamboo) 1898 Karl Auer (osmium) 1903 Siemens/Halske (tantalum) 1906 to 10 GEC/William Coolidge (tungsten)
Fluorescent light and lamp history
1857 Becquerel (fluorescence) 1901 Cooper Hewitt (mercury vapour lamp) 1934 Germer (high pressure lamp) 1970s Anderson + Hollister (electrodeless) 1976 Edward Hammer (spiral lamp)
Mercury + Fluorescent Lights
Efficiency Vermont
Michigan Dept. of Env. Quality

Energy Efficiency Advice
EU Energy Label
Refrigeration
Laundry
Dishwashers
Boilers
Insulation + Windows
Find recommended products (UK)

Generate your own energy
General advice
Solar Photovoltaics
Solar water heating
Heat pumps
Small scale wind
Small scale hydro
Biomass

Press coverage
The Guardian 7 Dec 05 
BBC News Online 'Green Room' 3 Feb 06
BBC Radio 4 'Broadcasting House' 5 Feb 06
Austrian Broadcasting Corp. 7 Feb 06
BBC Radio Wales 8 Feb 06
BBC News Online 8 Feb 06
The Hindustan Times  editorial
The Guardian "Campaign O.T.W. " 21 Feb 06
BBC Radio Essex 22 Feb 06

Interesting energy ideas...
Option 10 (UK)
Light Up The World (Can)
TVEC.org  (UK)
Downshifting Path (UK)
Cent. for Alt. Tech. (Wales)
Patio Heaters Are Evil (UK)

NGOs
Friends of the Earth Greenpeace International Natural Resources Defense Council New Economics Foundation WWF

Renewable Energy Businesses
Select Solar
Solar Century

Climate Change
Carbon Trust
Climate Stability 2005
DEFRA
Hadley Centre
IPCC
Met Office
Pew Centre
Tyndall Centre
UK Energy Research Centre
UNFCCC

Reports
National Audit Office > report

Environmental Blogs
Alternative Energy Blog
Dangerousmeta!
Earth Blog
Earth Info
Energy: Action
Envirotech 
George Monbiot
Greenpeace Weblog
Gristmill 
Mark Lynas
Meta Efficient
One Change
Real Climate
Rebecca Blood
Sierra Club Scoop
World Changing
Ethical Expert

© matt prescott

[Powered by Blogger]

Thursday, May 26, 2011


Megaman CFLs do not use phenol in electric circuits
Ban The Bulb has received the following press release from Megaman about the phenol controversy.

It is interesting to note that they do not use phenol in their electric circuits, although other manufacturers do, and that they are using shatter-proof silicone to help prevent their compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) from releasing mercury vapour, as a result of accidental breakages, in the home.

28 April 2011

To whom it may concern

MEGAMAN® ’s statement on recent press report about “Energy saving lamps (CFLs) can emit harmful substances”

Recently, a German magazine “Markt” (meaning Market) run by the NDR Television Channel conducted a laboratory test on energy saving lamps for emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Lamps from five brands were tested: Osram, Attralux, Rubin, Müller-Licht and IKEA. MEGAMAN® lamps were not tested. The laboratory test report claimed that during operation CFLs can emit harmful substances (e.g. phenol) known as VOCs.

We would like to state that MEGAMAN® uses water-based adhesive and water-based phosphor coating in the production of our CFLs. No phenol is used in our production
process. MEGAMAN® products are entirely safe to use in both domestic and commercial environments.

MEGAMAN® energy saving lamps meet all the legal requirements of the EU RoHS directive. And by using a safe amalgam instead of liquid mercury, all MEGAMAN® lamps are completely safe even if broken. Furthermore, the shatter-proof silicone coating on many models makes breakage quite difficult and provides an additional level of consumer safety.

The said laboratory tests were carried out in a small chamber, not in a real living room. The test results therefore do not reflect anything like a “Real Life” situation. This is supported by the German Federal Agency for the Environment (UBA).

“The concentrations of VOCs from energy-saving lamps, which we expect indoors, are very low,” the spokesman said, “We do not see any health risks through VOC-emissions of energy saving lamps.”

When asked to comment on the test report, the spokesman of UBA made the following statements.

“Because of the electronic and electrical equipment (e.g. TV, computer and mobile phones) in use today, VOC emissions are common and plentiful. Concentrations of up to 300µg/m³ are seen as normal and harmless in indoor air.”

“If we assume that a CFL is normally used in a small room (volume around 30m³) then we have to divide the measured test chamber concentration by at least 1000. The test results therefore indicate that the true concentration of VOCs in a room of that size would be around a few micrograms/m³ (1,9µg/m³ for a new and strongly emitting lamp). That means that the additional emissions caused by a CFL are just a tiny part of the normal concentration of VOCs common in interior rooms, and may safely be ignored.”

“We do not see any urgent need for action caused by the publication of these results. An exclusive evaluation of this matter will be presented within a month by the indoor air commission of the Federal Agency for the Environment.” (Source: Federal Agency for the Environment (UBA), Press Office)

Stiftung Warentest (German product test foundation) presents different results regarding indoor air pollution compared to the results of the NDR test. Stiftung Warentest regularly measures VOCs in its energy saving lamps tests. In its current energy saving lamps test 3/2011 no noticeable results were found regarding indoor pollutants. Both tested MEGAMAN® lamps were ranked “very good” regarding indoor pollutants. (See Attachment for Stiftung Warentest test report 3/2011)

Should you have any enquiries, please do not hesitate to contact the undersigned.

Yours sincerely,

Ms Sharon Pang
Senior Brand Manager
Neonlite Electronic & Lighting (HK) Ltd
Email: sharon@neonlite.com.hk

Ban The Bulb was also pleased to note the Megaman are working with the Migraine Association to test whether there is any link between CFLs and migraines.

Labels: , , , ,


Posted 6:18 AM by Matt Prescott

Wednesday, April 20, 2011


Phenol scare story...
A German TV programme called Markt has reported that energy saving compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) emit a chemical called phenol.

Their scientist has tested five makes of CFLs in sealed containers over 3 day periods and reported the detection of phenol. They have not reported the concentrations of phenol detected.

Further research is needed to verify and quantify what the issues really are.

All electronic circuits produce volatile organic compounds and it is not clear that CFLs produce anything different to TV, printers or other electrical devices.

The German and UK authorities have both said that CFLs are safe to use.

Fruit and cucumbers both produce phenol as they ripen so the detection of phenol in itself should not frighten anyone.

Energy saving light bulbs 'contain cancer causing chemicals' (Daily Telegraph, 20 April, 2011)

Fears have been reignited about the safety of energy saving light bulbs after a group of scientists warned that they contain cancer causing chemicals.

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.

“I, therefore, use them only very economically. They should not be used in unventilated areas and definitely not in the proximity of the head.”

British experts insisted that more research was needed and urged consumers not to panic.

Dr Michelle Bloor, senior lecturer in Environmental Science at Portsmouth University, told the Daily Express: “Further independent studies would need to be undertaken to back up the presented German research.”

The Department for the Environment insists the bulbs are safe, despite the fact that they contain small amounts of mercury which would leak out if the glass was broken.

Advice on its website states: “Energy efficient light bulbs are not a danger to the public.
“Although they contain mercury, limited at 5mg per lamp, it cannot escape from a lamp that is intact."

“In any case, the very small amount contained in an energy efficient bulb is unlikely to cause harm even if the lamp should be broken.”

The latest report follows claims by Abraham Haim, a professor of biology at Haifa University in Israel, that the bulbs could result in higher breast cancer rates if used late at night.

He said that the bluer light that CFLs emitted closely mimicked daylight, disrupting the body's production of the hormone melatonin more than older-style filament bulbs, which cast a yellower light.

The Migraine Action Association has warned that they could trigger migraines and skin care specialists have claimed that their intense light could exacerbate a range of existing skin problems.

Labels: , , , , ,


Posted 5:33 AM by Matt Prescott

Home