UPDATE

India’s burgeoning population and modern living conditions has pushed the demand for energy northwards. Lighting has been the most important and one of the significant segments in the energy consumption pie accounting for close to 20% of the total power consumption. On this account, the recent past decade has witnessed massive promotion (by Industry and the government) of energy saving lighting devices like the Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs). However, with over 400 million CFLs marketed on an annual basis in India (and still this segment growing at 15-20% annually), these mercury bearing lamps pose serious environment and health safety challenges too.

CPCB’s 2008 guidelines - too prescribes detailed action plan for the sound management of mercury in fluorescent lamp sector in India. The fact remains that Indian lighting sector uses over 16 tons of mercury annually. Further, due to the highly hazardous nature of the spent CFL waste containing mercury, there is a need to work towards this end on a war footing.

In the above backdrop and also keeping in view India’s commitment towards INC and the WSSD 2020 goals on sound chemicals management, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), MoEF and Toxics Link jointly organized this national conference on ‘Sustainable Management of Mercury (Hg) In Fluorescent Lamps in India.’

The conference aimed to review current state of standard and technology for mercury dosing in lamps; assess infrastructure and capacity to deal with FL waste management in India; evaluate strengths and areas to attend for addressing upstream / downstream issues and bring together stakeholders to deliberate and decide on a possible roadmap.

Download the electronic copy:

http://toxicslink.org/?q=National%20Meeting%20on%20Mercury%20and%20Waste%20Management