Mercury is perhaps the most commonly known of the RoHS hazardous substances. Under RoHS, mercury cannot be present in concentrations of 0.1% by homogenous material in electrical and electronic equipment.
There are a number of exemptions which apply within RoHS, and one of these is the use of mercury in CFLs. This position has been confirmed by the European Committee following a report into their use.
CFLs have been identified as a more efficient method of lighting than traditional incandescent bulbs (which will be phased out by September 2012), but the presence of mercury has caused debate over its safety.
The Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks’ (SCHER) report confirmed that it is “scientifically and technically impossible to produce mercury-free compact fluorescent lamps” at present. This decision pitches the interests of energy efficiency and environmental groups into conflict.
Recent EU guidance suggested that as a third of mercury emissions come from coal-fired power stations, the improved efficiency of CFLs compared to incandescent lightbulbs ultimately results in less mercury being released into the environment.
However, the report does acknowledge problems such as a poor CFL recycling rate (only 20% in 2007) and the large amount of discarded mercury entering municipal waste streams as a result.
SCHER has concluded that “compact fluorescent lamps offer a net environmental benefit compared to the other light bulbs considered, even when mercury content is taken into account.” It is therefore unlikely that the RoHS exemption will be revoked any time soon.
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