CFLs - Blessing or Curse?

Recently I was involved in work for an environmental organisation and studied the impact of Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs). CFLs aka energy efficient lamps are touted as the way of the future atleast until LED technology matures.

CFLs consume significantly less energy than traditional tungsten filament incandescent bulbs. With 12% of all energy consumed being attributed to just lighting, it is argued that if all lamps worldwide were to be CFLs, less electricity would require to be produced, consequently less coal would require to be burned and lead to less greenhouse gas emissions and a cleaner healthier world.

The Australian Government announced it will introduce a world first ban on the incandescent lamp. Effective February 2009 import of these has apparently ended. Retailers have until November to sell off their stocks. From November 2009 the sales of these are expected to be banned in Australia. The intent is to promote the energy efficient Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs).

(refer: http://www.environment.gov.au/settlements/energyefficiency/lighting/faq-phaseout.html)

CFLs come with a warning though. They contain mercury and in the case of breakage require careful clean-up to avoid harm to the environment and individuals. Apart from the mercury, the phosphor coating can enter the blood stream through microscopic cuts and poison the body. Hence thick gloves are mandatory while handling breakages.

PROCESS FOR CLEAN-UP BREAKAGE

1. If available, wear a good respirator and thick rubber gloves
2. Open all windows and switch on any ventilation fans to evacuate contaminated
air
3. Pick up the visible pieces and seal them in plastic bags
4. Use a good HEPA-conformant vacuum cleaner to vacuum up the smaller pieces. Dispose the filter after use.
5. If one doesn't have a HEPA-filtered vacuum cleaner use a wet paper towel to mop up.
6. DO NOT vacuum if your vacuum is not HEPA filtered as it would most likely blow out contaminated air.

(refer for additional detail:

http://www.environment.gov.au/settlements/energyefficiency/lighting/faq-disposal.html).

CFLs should not be discarded like other household trash. Used lamps should be processed in processing units. Otherwise they have the potential to poison the groundwater and cause significant long term damage to the environment. Australia has put in place several processing units and a process is underway to educate households on CFLs.

But what about third world countries? Neither an awareness exists among the populations nor is there any process by governments to handle the range of issues posed by CFLs.

Firstly, CFLs contribute to a lower power factor (pf). Poor pf increases distribution losses and therefore the cost of supplying power. The claimed efficiencies (lumens per watt consumed) of CFLs is reduced when you factor in pf. All CFLs have a pf less than 0.6 which practically means that for a 13 watt bulb, the actual consumption is 13/0.6 = 22 VA.

CFLs last less longer when switched on and off frequently. Most CFLs in the market do not work in table lamps and with dimmers. I discovered this recently and still do not have a solution other than rewiring. Now how many people worldwide are going to be prepared for this hidden cost?

In an ideal world where people are educated and processes are in place for the safe disposal of toxic waste, CFLs would be the way to go. But we live in a world where basics like food, shelter and survival takes a priority and awareness of environmental issues virtually non existent in large parts of the world. Given the realities of such a world, banning CFLs would be a better way forward than the banning of incandescent lamps.