Light bulbs disposal campaign

Despite their low-mercury content, light bulbs are household necessities that need to be disposed of safely. Up until recently the machinery to do so did not exist in the United Arab Emirates.

Enpark (Dubai’s Energy and Environment Park), a member of Tecom Investments, has partnered with Idama, a facilities management company, to dispose of light bulbs within the freezone.

Since 5 June 2010 when the campaign was launched on the occasion of the World Environment Day, more than 35,000 light bulbs have been crushed and their mercury content collected, rather than emitted into the atmosphere.

The machine has two parts: one for mercury and the other for metal and glass. The canister collecting mercury vapor is expected to fill up to its maximum capacity in two to three years.

Typically, a fluorescent bulb, including compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) that are also known as energy-efficient bulbs, and high intensity discharge bulbs used for streetlights, floodlights or car parks contain between 3.5 to 15 milligrams of mercury.

The compact machine called Vapor Vacuum Lamp Compactor can crush and store the mercury of three million bulbs before the container has to be emptied.

Enpark’s scope is to showcase sustainable waste management and minimize potentially dangerous content in light bulbs such as mercury vapor from being released into the environment.

Mercury released into the air and landfill is the primary way that it gets into water and accumulates in fish, which can expose humans to mercury.
UNEP recognises mercury as a chemical of global concern due to its long-range transport in the atmosphere, its persistence in the environment, its ability to bio accumulate in ecosystems and its significant negative effect on human health and the environment.  

Mercury can produce a range of adverse human health effects, including permanent damage to the nervous system.  Mercury can be transferred from a mother to her unborn child and, as such, infants, children and women of child bearing age are considered vulnerable populations.

According to the US Environment Protection Agency, most mercury vapor inside fluorescent light bulbs becomes bound to the inside of the bulb's glass as it is used. The remaining mercury within a CFL, about 11 per cent, is released into the air or water when it reaches landfill and, in all likelihood, gets crushed.

The agency also estimates that if all 272 million CFLs sold in 2009 were sent to a landfill they would add 0.12 metric tons, or 0.12 percent, to U.S. mercury emissions caused by humans.

UNEP has been working to address mercury issues since 2003. In February 2009, the Governing Council of UNEP signed a landmark agreement to develop a global legally binding instrument on mercury. 

To become a partner in reducing mercury contamination, interested entities or individuals should submit a letter to UNEP that indicates their support for the UNEP Global Mercury Partnership and their commitment to achieving its goal, also specifying how they will contribute to meeting the goal of the UNEP Global Mercury Partnership.

This year on World Environment Day, 5 June, choose to partner with UNEP to reduce global mercury contamination!