Incandescent bulb ban may be too early
Posted, December 08, 2008 @ 18:00
EU must balance health and environment concerns
Brussels, 8th December 2008 -- A blanket ban on incandescent light bulbs is not yet practical on human health grounds, Conservative health and environment spokesman, John Bowis MEP, said today after the European Commission set a timetable to phase them out.
Meeting today, a committee created to set environmental requirements for energy-using appliances under the Ecodesign directive, proposed that the bulbs be phased out by September 2012. The proposal will now go to the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament.
Mr Bowis said:
"Energy-saving light bulbs are clearly good for the environment and we welcome the Commission's move to reduce the use of incandescent bulbs.
"However, the Commission and the British Government must be careful not to cause pain and disability in the process.
"There are a number of conditions, including epilepsy, lupus, migraine and autism, which can be adversely affected by fluorescent lighting in homes, offices, shops, streets and even hospitals, to the extent that it makes it impossible for sufferers to go there. The adverse effects can include pain, rashes, blisters, swollen joints, memory loss and panic attacks.
"We must make sure that, at the very least, incandescent bulbs continue to be readily available and that no total ban is contemplated before adequate alternatives have been researched and brought into production. This is one of those occasions where we must strike the right balance between the environment and health."