Lagos govt urges use of LED lights to reduce energy consumption

Says it has huge economic, environment, health benefits
Lagos State Government has implored households, industries and commercial buildings to take up the retrofitting initiative of transiting their mercury-based fluorescent lamps and bulbs to Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs for economic and health benefits.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, who stated this, yesterday, at a briefing on the retrofitting of the Folarin Coker Staff Clinic of Lagos State government by SRADeV Nigeria, under the aegis of the Clean Lighting Support for Building Retrofit Pilot of Clean Lighting Coalition (CLiC), said that using LED lights would lead to saving electricity tariff by 50 per cent in lighting usage. He said that it would also enhance illumination quality in all rooms, improve employee productivity and reduce maintenance costs due to longevity and durability of LEDs.

Ogboye, represented by the Director Medical Administration and Training, Dr. Olufunmilayo Sokunbi, said: “This campaign to eliminate use of mercury based bulbs (CFLs) is important to our healthy living condition as it prevents chronic diseases and effects of exposure to mercury, such as neurological and behavioural disorders, kidney damage, reproduction defects and others.”

“The retrofit initiative, which is basically ‘transition to LED,’ is a welcome initiative of the state as it relates to the second pillar of the T.H.E.M.E.S developmental agenda and it is also aimed at eliminating toxic mercury in lighting through the Minamata Convention on Mercury.

Also, the Executive Director, SRADeV Nigeria, Dr Leslie Adogame, disclosed that the retrofitting of the clinic had contributed to electricity bill savings of 50 per cent from 4,751 kWh per month to 2,393 kWh.

Adogame said it had completely eliminated mercury from the lighting used in the clinic – prevents risk of mercury exposure to staff and patients, it conforms to environmental standards stipulated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the reduction/elimination of mercury-based lighting products in-line with Nigeria’s National Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy (NREEEP) to ensure a cleaner and healthier environment for Nigerians as well as safe disposal and recycling of the CFL bulbs removed from the clinic.

“I, therefore, seize this opportunity to call on federal and state governments to include immediate inclusion of efficient energy usage (Clean Lighting) in various policy action plans, building codes, while the standards agency reviews existing standards to cater for the performance, quality standards for Lightings.

“ For instance, the immediate adoption of the Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPs) for Lighting in the country.

To collaborate with NGOs and other professionals to upscale and catalyze national advocacy on the impact of fluorescent lighting phase-out in achieving energy efficiency and elimination of mercury pollution from the environment for the promotion of public health,” Adogame said.