WEBINAR - Phasing out mercury-added lamps - 7 December 2021

The UNEP Global Mercury Partnership and its areas of work on Mercury in Products and on Mercury Waste Management jointly organized on Tuesday 7 December 2021 an online information-sharing session dedicated to the phase out of  mercury-containing lamps. The event explored options for an effective transition away from these products, their substitution as well as management and disposal once they become waste.

The Minamata Convention on Mercury sets 2020 as the phase out year for the manufacture, import and export of a number of mercury-added products, including certain types of lamps, and also includes a provision for the Conference of the Parties to consider, no later than five years after the treaty enters into force (2022), proposals to phase out additional mercury-added products. Mercury is added to certain lighting products, including different types of lamps used globally, from which it may be released and emitted in a number of pathways along their lifecycles.

The event aimed at sharing information, guidance and knowledge on mercury-added lamps and their phase out, exploring the latest market trends and the availability of mercury-free alternatives. It highlighted the benefits of accelerating the transition from fluorescent lighting to mercury-free light emitting diode (LED) technology, removing toxic mercury from our workplaces, institutions, homes and environment, while cost-effectively avoiding mercury use, release and subsequent pollution and millions of tonnes of CO2 emissions. Featuring the latest research and experiences from countries and relevant stakeholders, it offered a platform to exchange lessons-learned, best practices and challenges in phasing out mercury-added lamps.

In its first part focusing on upstream substitution, the event highlighted how eliminating mercury in lighting benefits human health and the environment, discussing new research and findings on exposure to mercury from lamp breakage. It shared 2021 market data from Africa, Latin America and South-East Asia with respect to cost-effective, mercury-free, energy-efficient lighting and showcased regional policy perspectives from Africa and the European Union in transitioning away from fluorescent lighting. In the second part looking at the end of life of mercury-added lamps, the event provided an overview of available guidance and best practices under the Minamata and Basel conventions as well as exiting tools under the Global Mercury Partnership, presented waste collection and management systems in countries from different regions and explored options for sustainable financing.

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Agenda for the event:

Opening by Rodges Ankrah, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Co-chair of the Global Mercury Partnership Advisory Group and Eisaku Toda, Secretariat of the Minamata Convention on Mercury

Session 1: Accelerating the phase out of mercury-added lamps by switching to mercury-free lighting, introduced by Thomas Groeneveld, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Coordinator of the Global Mercury Partnership Area on Mercury in Products

• "Key findings from a new report “Mercury in Fluorescent Lighting: Unnecessary Health Risks & Actionable Solutions” by Michael Bender, Mercury Policy Project and Report Co-Author
• “Policy pathway towards phasing out fluorescent lamps in the European Union" by Peter Bennich, Swedish Energy Agency
• "Mercury-free LED Alternatives to Fluorescent lamps: analysis of new market data from Africa, Latin America and South-East Asia" by Ana-Maria Carreño, Clean Lighting Coalition
• "Steps that Africa is taking to eliminate mercury-added lamps" by Chris Kanema, Zambia Environmental Management Agency
• Question and Answer Session

Session 2: Ensuring the environmentally sound management of waste from mercury containing lamps, introduced by Misuzu Asari, Kyoto University, co-lead of the Mercury Waste Management Partnership Area

• "Overview of tools and guidance under the Waste Management area and the Basel Convention" by Yuri Kato, Ministry of the Environment, Japan
• "Past, Present and Future of Lamp Recycling" by Paul Abernathy, Association of Lighting and Mercury Recyclers (ALMR)
• "Example of technologies and international cooperation for ensuring the environmentally sound management of mercury-containing lamps in Asia" by Hiroki Iwase, Nomura Kosan Ltd
• "Sustainable financing for environmentally sound management and processing, recycling, disposal of mercury-added lamps" by Michael Bender, Mercury Policy Project
• Question and Answer Session

Closing remarks by Teeraporn Wiriwutikorn, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Thailand, Co-chair of the Global Mercury Partnership Advisory Group