Following the promulgation of the roadmap for the phase-out of incandescent lamps, process restrictions on energy-saving lamps have gradually tightened. Recently, the “China’s Roadmap for Gradually Reducing Mercury Content in Fluorescent Lamps” jointly issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Ministry of Environmental Protection proposes to phase out the liquid mercury production process of compact fluorescent lamps by the end of this year, and strive to completely eliminate the liquid mercury production process by the end of 2014. By 2015, the mercury content of a single fluorescent lamp will be reduced by 80%.
Almost at the same time, six ministries and commissions including the National Development and Reform Commission also issued the “Semiconductor Lighting Energy Saving Industry Plan”, proposing that the market share of LED functional lighting products will reach more than 20% in 2015, and the industrial output value will reach 180 billion yuan.
Between advancing and retreating, between strengthening restrictions and increasing promotion, lighting products are expected to accelerate the green revolution represented by LED. In order to meet the requirements of the “Roadmap”, about 70% of lighting companies in Guangdong need to adjust or transform fluorescent lamp processes, and many companies have revealed their intention to focus on or increase the promotion of LEDs in the future.
Global mercury treaty forces fluorescent lamps to reduce mercury
Compared with traditional incandescent lamps, compact fluorescent lamps (commonly known as energy-saving lamps) have always been the main product in promoting green lighting in my country due to their energy saving and low consumption. However, due to its lack of recycling channels and processing capabilities, the hidden dangers of mercury pollution have been widely criticized by experts and environmentalists.
At the beginning of this year, more than 140 countries around the world, including China, finally reached the Minamata Convention on the Prevention and Control of Mercury after more than four years of negotiations, which will monitor and restrict the production and trade of mercury-containing products globally. The introduction of this legally binding global mercury instrument will undoubtedly face huge challenges in pollution prevention and control for China, a major country in mercury production and emissions. The hidden danger of mercury pollution from discarded energy-saving lamps, which has always been little restricted, is also facing changes from the source of the industry.
According to the “China’s Roadmap for Gradually Reducing Mercury Content in Fluorescent Lamps”, my country’s reduction of mercury in fluorescent lamps must be carried out in two steps: first, the liquid mercury process must be eliminated. By the end of this year, the liquid mercury production process of compact fluorescent lamps must be eliminated. By the end of 2014, we must strive to Comprehensively phase out the liquid mercury production process.
The second step is to gradually reduce the mercury content of domestically produced fluorescent lamps for general lighting with a power of no more than 60 watts in three stages, and strive to achieve that more than 50% of products contain mercury that does not exceed the target value at the same stage. The goal is to reduce the mercury emissions in the production process by half compared to 2010 by the end of 2014 by phasing out the liquid mercury process; by 2015, the average mercury content of a single fluorescent lamp product will be reduced by about 80% compared with 2010, and more than half of fluorescent lamps contain mercury The amount is less than 1 mg.
China’s mercury limits are stricter than those in Europe and the United States. Currently, only 11% reach trace mercury levels.
Statistics show that my country is a major producer and exporter of fluorescent lamps. In 2011, the output was approximately 7 billion units, of which approximately 4.7 billion were compact fluorescent lamps (commonly known as energy-saving lamps), accounting for more than 80% of global output, with annual exports of 2.8 billion units. According to my country’s industry standard “Limited Requirements for Toxic and Hazardous Substances in Lighting Electrical Products” issued in 2008, compact fluorescent lamps should not contain more than 5 milligrams of mercury, while straight tube types should not contain more than 10 milligrams. The fluorescent lighting industry consumes large amounts of mercury every year. And 1 milligram of mercury seeps into the ground, contaminating approximately 360 tons of water and surrounding soil.
“Some research has estimated that the cost of safely recycling a fluorescent lamp is 17 yuan. This is obviously unsustainable.” Reduce mercury content at the source and avoid the old path of pollution first and treatment later.
As the target market for fluorescent lamp products, developed economies such as Europe and the United States have put forward requirements to reduce the mercury content of fluorescent lamps. The European Union issued a directive in 2010 that from 2013, compact fluorescent lamps (power less than 30 watts) should not contain more than 2.5 milligrams of mercury. The relevant industry standards in the United States have put forward a requirement of not more than 4 milligrams for compact fluorescent lamps less than 25 watts.
In comparison, the “Roadmap” requires that by the end of this year, the mercury content of 30 watts or less will be less than 1.5 milligrams, and that of 30 watts or more will be less than 2.5 milligrams. At the end of 2014, the above limits shrank to 1 and 1.5 mg, and by the end of 2015, they further shrank to 0.8 and 1 mg. In other words, the national requirements for mercury content in energy-saving lamps are much stricter than the current European and American standards.
At present, my country has successfully developed low-power compact fluorescent lamps with a mercury content of no more than 0.5 mg; compact fluorescent lamps with a mercury content of no more than 1.5 mg have grown rapidly and account for about 30% of total output.
In 2012, a spot check of 80 batches of energy-saving lamps across the country showed that 90% of the energy-saving lamps had a mercury content of less than 2 mg, reaching the “low mercury” level; 11% of the energy-saving lamps even met the mercury content limit1 milligram requirements, reaching the “micro mercury” level.
LED welcomes good news, output value is expected to reach 180 billion in two years
Although this “Roadmap” has put a tight rein on the energy-saving lamp industry, in the eyes of industry insiders such as Manager Chen, it is also a good opportunity to further develop the LED market. “Now we are mainly promoting LED, which is basically produced by well-known lighting companies in the industry. LED does not contain mercury at all and has no pollution problems.”
According to the “Energy Saving Plan for Semiconductor Lighting Industry” of 6 ministries and commissions. By 2015, all incandescent lamps above 60W for general lighting will be eliminated, the market share will drop to less than 10%, and the market share of LED functional lighting products will reach more than 20%. In 2015, the output value of the semiconductor industry reached 450 billion yuan (including 180 billion yuan in LED lighting application products).
In addition, the “Plan” shows that financial subsidies for the promotion
of LED lighting products will be gradually increased. In the fields of commercial lighting, industrial lighting, government offices, and public lighting, we focus on the demonstration, application and promotion of indoor lighting products and systems such as LED downlights and spotlights. Enter the field of home lighting at the right time. In the field of outdoor lighting, the focus is on the demonstration and application of LED tunnel lights, street lights and other products and systems. Promote the demonstration application of LED products in medical, agriculture, stage, landscape lighting and other professional and special places.
In this regard, experts from the international research institution LEDinside believe that if China’s 20% market share is converted into quantity, there will be 1.4 billion LEDs based on the 2010 base. If annual growth is also included, then the number of LEDs by 2015 Maybe 2 billion. Although the average annual growth rate of LED output value of 30% may not seem large, the compound interest rate is also amazing, which is equivalent to doubling every 4 years and is much higher than the 7%-8% growth rate of GDP.
In addition, the “Plan” also shows that by 2015, 10-15 leading companies will be formed that master core technologies, have more independent intellectual property rights and well-known brands, and have strong quality competitiveness. Industry analysts believe that this is half the number compared with the previous 20-30 companies. It seems that the government believes that industrial integration can be more intense.
“The current problem with LED is that many companies are doing it. The products are of mixed quality, and the prices are high, which has reduced the public’s reputation. Strengthening industrial integration and cultivating leading companies will undoubtedly be conducive to the healthy development of the industry.” Manager Chen said.
Liquid mercury technology still accounts for the majority, and the reduction in mercury content will test the strength of enterprises
Do the current energy-saving lamp products meet the requirements of the national road map? After visits, it was found that no matter whether the products on the market in Guangzhou or the energy-saving lamp products included in the promotion of efficient lighting in our province, the mercury content was not marked on the products or packaging. It is not yet known whether it meets the national standard of less than 5 mg or even the requirements of the elimination road map.
According to public media reports, in 2009, 23 workers at the Gaoming Branch of Foshan Lighting were found to have excessive mercury in their urine. The company then urgently closed six of its liquid mercury production lines.
A manager from Foshan Lighting, Chen, said that all the company’s production lines had eliminated the liquid mercury process a few years ago and now use the solid mercury process. The mercury content is below the national standard of 5 mg, probably between 3 and 4 mg. Manager Chen said that the process of eliminating liquid mercury is mainly due to the difficulty in controlling the amount of mercury used. “If the mercury becomes liquid, it may drop too much or too little. After switching to solid mercury, one grain of solid mercury is one milligram. The amount of mercury used is Very controllable.” From interviews with many industry insiders, we learned that about 60 to 70% of energy-saving lamp companies in Guangdong still use the liquid mercury process, including some of the more famous lighting companies in Zhongshan, which also coexist with liquid mercury and solid mercury processes. “We are gradually converting. The cost of mercury solidification will definitely increase. For large companies, there is no problem because they have many years of research and development experience, but for small companies, it will be more difficult.”
From interviews with many industry insiders, we learned that about 60 to 70% of energy-saving lamp companies in Guangdong still use the liquid mercury process, including some of the more famous lighting companies in Zhongshan, which also coexist with liquid mercury and solid mercury processes. “We are gradually converting. The cost of mercury solidification will definitely increase. For large companies, there is no problem because they have many years of research and development experience, but for small companies, it will be more difficult.”
Chen Yansheng, secretary-general of the China Lighting Electrical Appliances Association, said in an interview with the media that in 2010, the proportion of solid mercury used in the production of compact fluorescent lamps (capillary tubes) was only about 50%, and the usage rates of solid mercury in metal halide lamps and ultraviolet lamps were only 43% and 43% respectively. 35%, and all high-pressure mercury lamps use liquid mercury. As for 2015, the “Roadmap” requires the mercury content of energy-saving lamps to be reduced to a goal of 1 mg. Manager Chen of Foshan Lighting believes that the light-emitting principle of energy-saving lamps is the collision of mercury and electric ions, which reduces the mercury content and ensures that the brightness remains unchanged. This requires improving the technical content of the product, but for mainstream enterprises, the transition in two years should not be a problem.
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