Task force on sound management of mercury in fluorescent lamps

Government today said that it has constituted a task force to evolve a policy on environmentally sound management of mercury in fluorescent lamps sector.
Enviornment Minister Prakash Javadekar told the Lok Sabha in a written reply that the Bureau of Indian Standards has finalised an amendment in respect of maximum mercury of rated wattage upto 26 watts as 5 mg.
"The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had constituted a task force to evolve a policy on environmentally sound management of mercury in Fluorescent Lamps.
"A technical committee constituted by this task force had prepared a guidelines for environmentally sound mercury management in Fluorescent Lamps sector," Javadekar said.

He said that the guidelines prescribe the best practises at various levels such as at manufacturer's level and include aspected relating to mercury consumption, process technology, raw mercury distillation and others.
"As per a study carried out by The Energy and Resourses Institute (TERI), the level of mercury content in Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) ranges from 3.5 mg to 6 mg per CFL," Javadekar said.
"The Bureau of Indian Standards has finalised an amendment to IS:15111 (Part I): 2002 Indian Standard for Self Ballasted Lamps for General Lighting Services (Safety Requirements) in April 2014 in respect of maximum mercury of rated wattage upto 26 watts as 5 mg per CFL," he said.

He said that his ministry and Central Pollution Control Board have written to all state governments and Union territories to encourage establishment of recycling units so that the fused CFLs and Fluorescent Tube Lights (FTLs) are properly collected and the mercury is recovered and recycled scientifically and safely, he said.