Lagos Advocates Use Of LED Lights To Reduce Mercury Exposure, Energy Consumption

Lagos State government has recommended that households, industries and commercial buildings take up the retrofitting initiative of converting mercury-based fluorescent lamps and bulbs to a clean lighting usage system of light emitting diode (LED) bulbs in order to reduce exposure to mercury and energy consumption.

Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health, Dr. Oluysegun Ogboye, who made the recommendation, at a briefing culminating in the end of a public-private partnership pilot LED Lighting Retrofit Project of the Lagos State Government’s Secretariat Staff Clinic; the Folarin Coker Staff Clinic, by Sustainable Research and Action for Environmental Development (SRADeV Nigeria) under the aegis of Clean Lighting Coalition (CLiC), said  the state government supports the campaign by the Clean Lighting Coalition and SRADeV Nigeria to eliminate exposure to mercury by transitioning to clean lighting usage and phase-out of mercury based bulbs.

Ogboye who was represented by the director, Medical Administration, Training and Programs in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Olufunmilayo Shokunbi explained that the retrofitting of over 600 mercury based compact fluorescent lamps in the staff clinic to 452 LEDs bulbs by SRADev and CLiC, apart from reducing exposure to mercury at the facility has helped achieved electricity tariff savings of 50 per cent in lighting usage and enhanced illumination quality.

He said: “The retrofit initiative which is basically “transition to LED” is a welcome initiative the State as it relates to the second pillar of the T.H.E.M.E.S developmental agenda and it is also aimed at eliminating toxic mercury in lighting through the Minamata Convention on Mercury”.

Ogboye noted also that retrofitting project has helped improve employee productivity and reduce maintenance costs due to longevity and durability of LEDs, adding that the benefits achieved from the project include; removal of CFL bulbs in the clinic to reduce mercury exposure to staff and patients, transition to LED which conforms to environmental standards stipulated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the reduction and elimination of mercury-based lighting products and Nigeria’s National Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy (NREEEP) to ensure a cleaner and healthier environment for Nigerians.

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Earlier in his address, the Executive Director, SRADeV, Dr. Leslie Adogame stated that SRADeV through Clean Lighting Coalition kicked off the Campaign for energy efficiency and elimination of mercury laden lamps in Nigeria by implementing the Country- Lighting Market Research which is aimed at gathering information that provides understanding of policy context to facilitate dialogue with policy makers to support the clean lighting transition adding that as biggest advantages of LED lighting is the opportunity for a higher quality lighting experience for people and businesses.

Dr. Adogame explained that retrofitting is simply replacing a fluorescent bulb with an LED, or converting the existing lighting fixtures in a building to an LED lighting fixture.

He noted that inherent benefits of replacing fluorescent technology with LED include 50 per cent lower lighting electricity bills, lower re-lamping and reducing maintenance costs, and most importantly achieving zero Mercury exposure; providing a better choice for people and the environment.