27 October 2008
Research from the Health Protection Agency has shown that some energy saving compact fluorescent lights can emit ultraviolet radiation at levels that can result in exposures higher than guideline levels.
The agency and government departments are calling on the European Union, product standards bodies and the lighting industry to tighten up product standards.
The HPA said it recommends some precautionary measures for the use of certain types of compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs).
The HPA has said that open (single envelope) CFLs should not be used where people are in close proximity - closer than 30 cm or 1 ft - to the bare light bulb for more than 1 hour a day.
It advises that for such situations open CFLs should be replaced by the encapsulated (double envelope) type instead.
Alternatively, the lamp should be moved so that it is at least 30 cm or 1 ft away.
The agency's chief executive Justin McCracken said, “This is precautionary advice and people should not be thinking of removing these energy saving light bulbs.
“We are advising people to avoid using the open light bulbs for prolonged close work until the problem is sorted out and to use encapsulated bulbs instead. In other situations where people are not likely to be very close to the bulbs for any length of time, all types of compact fluorescent light bulbs are safe to use.”
Not all open fluorescent light bulbs have significant UVR emissions but if people are in very close proximity to some of them, the exposure to bare skin is like being outside in direct sunlight.
HPA scientists found that when very close (2cm) to some open CFLs, the UVR level can be equivalent to that experienced outside in the UK on a sunny day in the summer and so some precaution is warranted. When further away (more than 30 cm), the UVR level is much lower and less than being outside on a sunny day in winter, which is not a concern.
Encapsulated (double envelope) compact fluorescent light bulbs, which look similar to traditional domestic light bulbs, do not emit significant amounts of UVR.
The larger long tube "strip lighting" design fluorescent lights, used in offices, workplaces and homes for many years, be used on ceilings without any special precautionary measures.
Exposure to UVR can cause particular problems for people suffering from some medical conditions, including Lupus.
The agency, government and the lighting industry have met with patient groups to give advice on the use of compact fluorescent light bulbs and the availability of new technologies for low energy lighting.
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