CFL bulbs poisoning the Capital; activists alarmed, government clueless
CFL bulbs poisoning the Capital; activists alarmed, government clueless
The Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) may have reduced your electricity bills drastically but not many are 
aware that it is one of the most toxic devices in any household.
Experts have warned that with its extremely high mercury content, the lamps are leading to a huge accumulation of the toxic element in the national capital's environment, including the water table.
While Delhi government and environment experts have suddenly woken up to the impending dangers of mercury led poising they are struggling to come up with a probable solution.
"The worst part is that no one has any data on the number of CFL lamps and bulbs under use and dumped as waste in the city. It seems that we are heading towards a crisis situation but there is no solution in sight," said an official of Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC).
The Delhi government had endorsed the CFL bulbs as one of the best mediums to save electricity. As soon as the popularity of the product and the demand grew manifold, a number of manufacturers, including Chinese, flooded the market with cheap options bringing the fancy lights in the reach of common people. The bulbs that used to cost more than Rs 200 for a 15-20W piece are now easily available at Rs 80-120.
"There is no estimate available as to how many bulbs have been produced and how many were scrapped after use. Also, we don't have any proper manner to dispose of the huge toxic waste that is generated in the process. Even if we come up with a solution now it will take years to implement," said an expert associated with The Energy Research Institute (TERI).
He also pointed out that once a CFL lamp is disposed/damaged, its mercury content rises by 300 per cent after coming in contact with air. "As of now there is no mechanism to collect CFL bulbs to assure a proper disposal."
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) said "roughly" 70 per cent of Delhi households use CFL bulbs.
Admitting the danger from the high mercury content of these lamps, a CPCB official said, "But the bigger threat is from manufacturing industries and other places like hospitals, hotels and offices which use CFL bulbs in huge quantities. Every CFL bulbs has a life span of about one year. The mercury from such bulbs can pollute air, soil and ground water," the officer said, requesting anonymity.
"It is a difficult subject and every one has accepted that the agencies related to conservation of environment have been caught off guard on this issue," he said.
"We are collecting data from CFL bulb manufacturers and as per our estimates almost 50 per cent of the lamps produced turn into waste in six months," said the CPCB official.
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When MiD DAY asked Neeta Sharma, the official spokesperson of the CPCB incharge of mercury poisoning studies, for available data on the subject, she forwarded the link of the agency's official website. There is no specific information or data regarding mercury poisoning on the website, leave alone management of waste that contains high quantity of the toxic element.
Health hazard
Known as Hydrargyria or Mercurialism, mercury poisoning is a fatal condition that affects brain and all the sensory organs. Besides brain degradation, skin disorder, visual impairment mercury poisoning also leads to bleeding gums and disorder of vital organs. Most of the cases are reported through indirect contact because of contaminated water, soil and air. While the fatality rate is higher in case of direct exposure through industrial use of mercury the other cases often go unreported due to slow but almost irreversible effect of the liquid metal.
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