(a) whether the Government is aware that the used Compact Flouresent Lamps poses a health hazard and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether a study has estimated that 74 kg mercury was released from 14.9m lamps in the capital during 2014 and if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government has taken any action for safe disposal of the used CFL; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)
(a)&(b Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change is aware that mercury may be released due to unsafe disposal of Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL) causing environmental and health hazards. However, this ministry is not aware of any such study.
(c)&(d) The issue of mercury releases from Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) is a concern for the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. This Ministry had constituted a Task Force to evolve a policy on “Environmentally Sound Management of mercury in Fluorescent Lamps”, which adopted the “Guidelines for Environmentally Sound Mercury Management in Fluorescent Lamps Sector” prepared by a Technical Committee. The major recommendations of the Task Force include an independent notification under Environment (Protection) Act to manage the CFL waste which should inter alia include extended producers’ responsibility. Process residues and waste from electronic industry; and mercury and mercury compounds are covered for regulation purpose under Schedule I and II, respectively of Hazardous Waste (Management, Handling and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2008. CFL with mercury content of more than 5mg are regulated under Rule 13 of e-waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 2011. The Bureau of Indian Standards has finalized the Standard for CFL in April, 2014, wherein mercury content of individual lamp has been prescribed to be limited to 5 mg per CFL.
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