Clean Lighting Coalition
A global coalition to eliminate toxic lighting through the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
Let's end toxic lighting together
Around the world, people unknowingly interact with dangerous lights everyday. Certain types of light bulbs, present in our homes, offices, schools and community buildings, contain mercury. Mercury is a chemical and neurotoxin, and can be released when a fluorescent bulb breaks, and through the manufacturing and disposal processes. Mercury and its compounds are highly toxic to humans and threaten environmental and ecosystem health. The Clean Lighting Coalition aims to leverage expert knowledge and clean lighting stakeholders to transition global markets to safe, cost-effective, and energy-saving LED lighting by removing the exemption for fluorescents in the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
With the proposed amendment to the Minamata Convention and implementation of national-level regulations to phase-out fluorescent lighting by 2025, countries can accelerate the transition to LED lighting technology to benefit people and the planet.Professor Shuji Nakamura, Nobel Prize for Physics (2014), Inventor of Blue Light LED
Benefits of mercury-free lighting
Recent developments and innovations in mercury-free LED technology have completely changed the global lighting market. Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) used to be the most efficient and cost-effective option for lighting homes and offices, so allowing mercury in lamps actually saved power compared to less-efficient light sources that didn’t contain mercury. Now, the transition to LEDs is easy and provides a range of benefits to people and the planet.
Build Healthier Communities
Exposure to mercury through a broken bulb can have toxic effects on human health, it is especially dangerous to developing children and fetuses.
Reduce Global Power Demand
Transitioning to LED lighting worldwide would reduce global power demand by 3%.
Lower Energy Spending
LEDs use half as much energy and have 2-3 times the lifespan compared to CFLs.
Provide Higher Quality Lighting
One of the biggest advantages of mercury-free LED lighting is the opportunity for higher quality lighting compared to the mercury-based bulbs.
