Written question asked by Lord Forsyth of Drumlean (Conservative), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Rooker (Labour) on Monday, 25 June 2007.

Mercury: Light Bulbs

Question: asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their estimate of the quantity of mercury ending up in landfill sites from the disposal of low energy light bulbs.

Answer: Defra has not made any specific estimate of the quantity of mercury in landfill sites as a result of the disposal of low-energy light bulbs. Energy-efficient light bulbs contain a small amount of mercury (less than 5 milligrams per lamp) and should be disposed of responsibly by local authorities and in accordance with waste regulations. From 1 July this year, long-life bulbs, where collected with other waste electrical equipment, will need to be disposed of in accordance with the requirements of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations. Under the WEEE permitting regulations, and subject to transitional arrangements which end on 1 July this year, mercury must be removed from energy-efficient light bulbs where they are collected separately. From 1 July, a minimum of 80 per cent by weight of the materials will have to be recycled or recovered. The Government’s market transformation programme estimates that, as a result of these regulations being in place, the total mercury entering the waste stream from fluorescent lamps, both domestic and commercial, will be reduced from about 0.6 tonnes per year in 2005 to about 0.08 tonnes in 2020.

Secondary information