Positive DOE environmental report for LED lighting

Many question how “green” LED-based solid-state lighting (SSL) really is, compared to conventional lighting when considering the issue of toxicity. The green nature of solar power has gone under the microscope previously as well as opponents cite toxic elements used in cell manufacturing as well as their disposal, especially in the case of solar panels including cadmium telluride layers produced by companies like First Solar.

The new environmental report is the third and final part of a comprehensive US Department of Energy (DOE) research project focused on the environmental impact of SSL technology, over the course of the complete lifecycle of a lighting product. The first of the three reports was issued in February 2012, which honed in on energy consumption associated with LED lamps including the energy needed to produce, operate and dispose of the products. Thereafter, a second DOE report was published discussing the direct and indirect, material and process impacts.

The results published in the final DOE report are derived from the disassembly and testing of 22 lamps for 17 potentially-toxic elements that could exceed governmental standards for hazardous waste. Lead, silver and copper were part of the assessment, as these elements are often used in LED packaging. The testing was conducted by grinding the lamps to expose encapsulated materials. Results from the final report reveal that the LED lamp samples are essentially all below US restrictions set by the Environmental Protection Agency on toxic elements. However, most levels exceeded California standards for copper, zinc, antimony, or nickel, as this state has stricter environmental standards in general such as automobile emissions.

Now one of the next big hurdles for LED lighting is dealing with reports that it can damage the human eye. A vision researcher from Complutense University in Madrid released a report yesterday stating that the short-wave, high-energy blue and violet end of the visible light spectrum from LED lighting caused damage to the retina of the eye after prolonged exposure. However, this is just one study, and it also discussed the effects from starring into electronic displays which were found to show similar consequences. (Excerpt from examiner)


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