Health Safety
Energy saving bulbs: How safe they are?
Few days ago a 6 years old boy came to me with respiratory tract infection. Examining the boy clinically I prescribed medicine and assured the mother. Before leaving my chamber, the mother asked me humbly about any health hazard of energy saving bulbs. I told, probably there is no problem but even then I have to look for if any. I promised her that I would let her know about the fact over phone later on. However, the question of the mother stroke me and I started to browsing to search any health hazard due to energy saving bulb. Now a days energy saving bulbs are widely used because it saves energy and more importantly, cut electricity bill more than 50%. The government is also advocating to use these bulbs as we are in electricity crisis. The information I gathered through the Internet was very interesting and confusing at the same time. According to a Canadian investigator, these bulbs produce harmful electromagnetic field and emits harmful radiation, although the amount is less. US FDA and US Department of Energy Lighting also admit that these bulbs produce radiation which may have some harmful effect on health. They advised bulb should be protected by shade and one should be at least one feet away from the bulb and the bulb must be double coated. However, they are more concerned about the broken bulbs as mercury vapour comes out from broken bulb which may cause some injury to respiratory tract. Directorate general for Health & Consumers, European Commission made a scientific committee to investigate the matter. They did not find enough scientific data to pass a concrete comment but they assured that it is not harmful as it was thought. It was thought that Epilepsy, Headache, Migraine, Irritability, Retinal disease, light sensitivity , meneires disease, lack of concentration may be aggravated by CFL/energy saving lamps. But the above committee could not find any direct evidence of such. Whatever may be the fact, I would like to suggest using incandescent light (normal bulb) for study purpose, especially for children — since, long term, evidence based study proves that use of energy saving bulbs are hazard-free.
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