BackGovernment plans CFL return scheme to curb mercury pollution
Under the draft scheme, manufacturers will set up centres to collect old and discarded CFLs, which will come under the concept of Extended Producer Responsibility
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New Delhi: The environment ministry has proposed a scheme whereby old compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) bulbs can be returned to the manufacturer for ₹ 10, as part of an initiative to control mercury pollution from CFLs.
Under the draft scheme published by the ministry of environment, forests and climate change (MoEFCC), manufacturers will set up centres to collect old and discarded CFLs. This will come under the concept of Extended Producer Responsibility or EPR. The ministry had last week put up a draft of the scheme on its website, seeking comments from all stakeholders.
Stating that the recovery, recycling and disposal of mercury from used CFLs or other mercury lamp needs to be regulated, the draft said that, “the most practical option for collection of the used CFLs seems to be bringing the same under the EPR".
EPR means responsibility of any producer of electrical or electronic equipment, for their products beyond manufacturing until environmentally sound management of their end-of-life products. The producers are required to collect e-waste generated by setting up collections centres or take-back systems either individually or collectively.
The draft noted collection of used CFLs in view of its wide usage could be a major problem.
Thus, it suggested setting up of neighbourhood collection centres in various municipal wards by producers to facilitate collection, safe storage and transfer of CFL or other mercury containing lamps to TSDFs (Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facility) for appropriate disposal.
The draft is a result on an ongoing case against environment ministry in the National Green Tribunal (NGT) regarding mercury pollution from CFLs.
Toxics link, a Delhi-based NGO working on environmental issues which is fighting this case against environment ministry had found in its study that the average mercury content per unit CFL is 21.21mg - which it said is much higher than the standard followed in developed countries. It suggested use of cash incentives to encourage people to return old CFLs.
“Cash incentives may be passed on to consumers when they return end-of-life CFLs or other mercury containing lamp to dealer as part of EPR. Cash incentive should be given to all consumers whether they replace it with LED or not and to other persons who return it at collection centre," the draft action plan said.
According to Electric Lamp and Component Manufacturers Association of India (Elcoma), which represents nearly the entire lighting industry, CFL uses 75% less energy than a traditional incandescent light bulb and lasts up to 8 to 10 times longer.
The ministry has proposed to model this policy in line with a scheme already proposed by Elcoma for CFLs manufactured prior to 2010.
“According to this, the consumer or any other person who is returning the used CFL to the dealer will get a discount of ₹ 10 on the purchase of a new CFL or LED. It is suggested that a similar scheme would be implemented for all CFLs or other mercury containing lamp irrespective of the date of manufacturing and without necessity for further purchase of new CFL or LED or other mercury containing lamp," the policy explained.
It also suggested that CFL producers should be ordered to spread awareness about the menace of mercury and print its effect on the carton or packet with the detail of cash incentive.
Lawyer Ritwick Dutta, who is representing Toxics Link in NGT, said: “Safe disposal of CFLs can become a test case of the EPR concept in India. But not just producers, it requires participation of all including government and people at large. It will show how far corporate are willing to take responsibility for polluting."
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