ISLE-KSC

ISLE has been expressing concern about the proliferation of Fluorescent Lamps, both TFL (Tubular) and CFL (Compact) and the lack of proper disposal system for them at the end of their life.

We cannot afford to ignore the need to change that is taking place from the aspect of energy conservation and carbon emission. Fluorescent lamps have to be used in greater numbers instead of the less efficient incandescent lamps. But at the same time measures for disposal and/or recycling the fluorescent lamps have to be developed, so that we do not come to face another environmental problem of release of Mercury and a few other heavy metals such as Cadmium, Tungsten, indiscriminately into the soil. This will lead to the pollutant metals getting into water & vegetables and affecting people & animals.

The lamp manufacturer should come out with a system of collection and recover useful materials such as Mercury, Fluorescent powder, the glass, metal caps. When Mysore Lamps was in operation, it had the system of collection of the disposed fluorescent tubes from the Kabadiwala and recovering the reusable components. Of course at that time the pollution threat was not of the magnitude that we are heading to now, consequent to widespread use of CFLs. The recovery process was working only for collection from Bangalore City (in the vicinity of Mysore Lamps factory).

The economic problem appears to be not the collection of the used lamps, but the transportation of the voluminous fragile material without a protective packing. A solution that appears to have been developed in some countries is to have a mobile truck mounted processing facility, which goes round on a program to different local collection centers and do the primary processing. The primary processing covers the breaking of the tube and recovering mercury, using a solvent to pick out the fluorescent coating , then crushing the glass. With this system the volume comes down and avoids the transportation cost that would have come, if the tubes as such were to be transported to the factory. The crushed glass, Mercury, Metal Caps etc., are used in the factory, either for the production of new lamps or for other secondary uses or products, depending on the suitability.

Mobile in-field primary processing units appear to be the need of the hour to continue with fluorescent lamps in greater numbers to achieve energy conservation without compromising on lighting quality and at the same time keep the environment free from pollution. 

A project has been sanctioned by the Government of India through the BEE to enable ELCOMA to install a system of safe disposal.

 We look forward to early installation of a system to avoid environmental degradation by improper disposal which is taking place now. ISLE in its educational and training programs has been highlighting these issues and in some cases the program of segregation of e-waste before handing over to the municipality waste collection system has been implemented.