Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The environmental performance of fluorescent lamps in China, assessed with the LCA method

  • LCA OF WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
  • Published:
The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

The rapid increase in production and usage of fluorescent lamps (FLs) has brought with it a rising concern about potential mercury risk from both FL production and disposal at the end-of-life (EoL) stage. Thus, there is an urgent need for the environmentally sound management of FLs. In order to provide useful information for the development of effective management tools, this study used the life cycle assessment methodology to investigate the environmental performance of FLs in China.

Methods

This work compares the environmental performance of two types of FLs, linear (LFLs) and compact (CFLs), using the modular life cycle assessment (LCA) based on the international standards of the ISO 14040 series. The operational data applied to the inventory analysis and combined with the information in the Ecoinvent 3.0 databases was obtained by interviews with a local FL manufacturer and a licensed waste FL treatment facility.

Results and discussion

Results suggest that the chosen linear FL has a lower environmental impact than the compact one. The use stage accounted for the majority (>94 %) of total environmental impacts, followed by the manufacturing stage. The ballast component was the largest contributor to the environmental impact of CFLs and largely accounted for the difference between CFLs and LFLs in the manufacturing stage. The end-of-life stage can be a benefit to the environment when waste FLs are processed through the proper, licensed disposal enterprises in China. Electricity consumption accounts for more than 94 % of the environmental impact of FLs over their entire life cycle. This can be reduced by 19 % when the electricity used is changed from the Beijing mix to the China mix.

Conclusions

Results of the life cycle assessment can be used to compare relative environmental impacts of different waste FL treatment technologies and can help policy makers better understand the urgency of the issues calling for their attention.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • AU. Department of Industry (2009) Lighting: phase-out of inefficient incandescent light bulbs. http://ee.ret.gov.au/energy-efficiency/lighting. Accessed October 6 2013

  • Azapagic A (1999) Life cycle assessment and its application to process selection, design and optimisation. Chem Eng J 73:1–21

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bakri SNS, Surif S, Ramasamy RK. A case study of life cycle assessment (LCA) on ballast for fluorescent lamp in Malaysia. In: Electronics and the Environment, 2008. ISEE 2008. IEEE International Symposium on, 19–22 May 2008. pp 1–4, doi:10.1109/ISEE.2008.4562881

  • Bakri SNS, Ramasamy RK, Surif S (2010) Life cycle assessment of magnetic and electronic ballast for 36-W fluorescent lamp. Int J Life Cycle Assess 15:837–841

  • Beijing Municipal Bureau of Statistics, National Bureau of Statistics of China (NBS) Survey Office in Beijing (2014) Beijing Statistical Yearbook 2013. China Statistics Press, Beijing, China.

  • Bigum M, Brogaard L, Christensen TH (2012) Metal recovery from high-grade WEEE: a life cycle assessment. J Hazard Mater 207–208:8–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bladh M, Krantz H (2008) Towards a bright future? Household use of electric light: a microlevel study. Energ Policy 36:3521–3530

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • China National Institute of Standardization (CNIS) (2002) Technical supporting report for China energy efficiency standard of double-capped fluorescent lamps. Beijing, China. Available from http://www.efchina.org/Attachments/Report/reports-efchina-20061215-1-zh/TechRpt_05183_CNIS_CN.pdf. Accessed 11 Aug 2014

  • Choi B-C, Shin H-S, Lee S-Y, Hur T (2006) Life cycle assessment of a personal computer and its effective recycling rate. Int J Life Cycle Assess 11:122–128

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duan H, Eugster M, Hischier R, Streicher-Porte M, Li J (2009) Life cycle assessment study of a Chinese desktop personal computer. Sci Total Environ 407:1755–1764

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Durlinger B, Reinders A, Toxopeus M (2012) A comparative life cycle analysis of low power PV lighting products for rural areas in South East Asia. Renew Energy 41:96–104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frondel M, Lohmann S (2011) The European Commission’s light bulb decree: another costly regulation? Energ Policy 39:3177–3181

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), Standardization Administration of the People’s Republic of China (SAC) (2013) Minimum allowable values of energy efficiency and the energy efficiency grades of double-capped fluorescent lamps for general lighting service vol GB 19043–2013. Beijing

  • Goedkoop M, Spriensma R (2000) Methodology report—the Eco-indicator 99: a damage oriented method for life cycle impact assessment, 2nd edn. PRé Consultants B.V., Amersfoort

    Google Scholar 

  • Goedkoop M, Spriensma R (2001) Methodology annex—the Eco-indicator 99: a damage oriented method for life cycle impact assessment, 3rd edn. PRé Consultants B.V., Amersfoort

    Google Scholar 

  • Guinée JB, Gorrée M, Heijungs R et al.(2001) Life cycle assessment—an operational guide to the ISO standards. Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment; Centre of Environmental Science, Leiden University, Leiden

  • International Energy Agency (IEA) (2006) Light’s labour’s lost: policies for energy-efficient lighting. Paris, France. http://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/light2006.pdf. Accessed January 15, 2015

  • International Organization for Standardization (ISO) (2006a) ISO 14040:2006 Environmental management—Life cycle assessment—Principles and framework. Geneva

  • International Organization for Standardization (ISO) (2006b) ISO 14044:2006 environmental management—life cycle assessment—requirements and guidelines. Geneva

  • Josa A, Aguado A, Cardim A, Byars E (2007) Comparative analysis of the life cycle impact assessment of available cement inventories in the EU. Cem Concr Res 37:781–788

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), Ministry of Commerce (MOC), General Administration of Customs (GAC), State Administration for Industry & Commerce (SAIC), General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) (2011) Roadmap on phasing-out of incandescent lamps in China. Beijing

  • National Bureau of Statistics of China (NBS) (2014a) China Energy Statistical Yearbook 2013. China Statistics Press, Beijing, China.

  • National Bureau of Statistics of China (NBS) (2014b) China Statistical Yearbook 2013. China Statistics Press, Beijing, China.

  • National Statistics Offices of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) (2014) BRICS Joint Statistical Publication 2013. Available from: http://brics.ibge.gov.br/downloads/BRICS_Joint_Statistical_Publication_2013.pdf Accessed 9th July 2014

  • Parsons D (2006) The environmental impact of compact fluorescent lamps and incandescent lamps for Australian conditions. Environ Eng 7:8–14

    Google Scholar 

  • Principi P, Fioretti R (2014) A comparative life cycle assessment of luminaires for general lighting for the office—compact fluorescent (CFL) vs light emitting diode (LED)—a case study. J Clean Prod 83:96–107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramroth L (2008) Comparison of life-cycle analyses of compact fluorescent and incandescent lamps based on rated life of compact fluorescent lamp. Rocky Mountain Institute, Snowmass

    Google Scholar 

  • Rocchetti L, Vegliò F, Kopacek B, Beolchini F (2013) Environmental impact assessment of hydrometallurgical processes for metal recovery from WEEE residues using a portable prototype plant. Environ Sci Technol 47:1581–1588

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saner D, Walser T, Vadenbo C (2012) End-of-life and waste management in life cycle assessment—Zurich, 6 December 2011. Int J Life Cycle Assess 17:504–510

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sangwan KS, Bhakar V, Naik S, Andrat SN (2014) Life cycle assessment of incandescent, fluorescent, compact fluorescent and light emitting diode lamps in an Indian scenario. Procedia CIRP 15:467–472

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scharnhorst W, Althaus H-J, Classen M, Jolliet O, Hilty LM (2005) The end of life treatment of second generation mobile phone networks: strategies to reduce the environmental impact. Environ Impact Assess 25:540–566

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scharnhorst W, Hilty LM, Jolliet O (2006) Life cycle assessment of second generation (2G) and third generation (3G) mobile phone networks. Environ Int 32:656–675

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scholand M, Dillon HE (2012) Life-cycle assessment of energy and environmental impacts of LED lighting products. Part 2: LED manufacturing and performance. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Washington D.C. US. http://www.osti.gov/scitech/biblio/1044508/. Accessed May 27 2014

  • Socolof ML, Overly JG, Geibig JR (2005) Environmental life-cycle impacts of CRT and LCD desktop computer displays. J Clean Prod 13:1281–1294

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Song Q, Wang Z, Li J, Zeng X (2012) Life cycle assessment of TV sets in China: a case study of the impacts of CRT monitors. Waste Manag 32:1926–1936

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Song Q, Wang Z, Li J (2013a) Sustainability evaluation of e-waste treatment based on energy analysis and the LCA method: a case study of a trial project in Macau. Ecol Indic 30:138–147

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Song Q, Wang Z, Li J, Zeng X (2013b) The life cycle assessment of an e-waste treatment enterprise in China. J Mater Cycles Waste Manage 15:469–475

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Song QB, Wang ZS, Li JH, Yuan WY (2013c) Life cycle assessment of desktop PCs in Macau. Int J Life Cycle Assess 18:553–566

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tähkämö L, Bazzana M, Zissis G, Puolakka M, Halonen L (2014) Life cycle assessment of a fluorescent lamp luminaire used in industry—a case study. Light Res Technol 46:453–464

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tan Q, Li J (2014) A study of waste fluorescent lamp generation in mainland China. J Clean Prod 81:227–233

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) (2012) 2010 U.S. Lighting market characterization

  • U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) (2013) Fluorescent lighting. http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/fluorescent-lighting. Accessed October 19 2013

  • Welz T, Hischier R, Hilty LM (2011) Environmental impacts of lighting technologies—life cycle assessment and sensitivity analysis. Environ Impact Assess 31:334–343

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ye X, Wang Z, Chen Y (2012) Situation of discharge lamp production and market in 2011. China Light & Lighting, pp1-5

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the National Key Technologies R&D Program (No. 2014BAC03B04). The authors would also like to thank Panasonic Lighting (Beijing) Co., Ltd. and Eco-island Science and Technology Co., LTD. for providing the data.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing, 100084, China

    Quanyin Tan, Qingbin Song & Jinhui Li

Authors
  1. Quanyin Tan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Qingbin Song
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jinhui Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jinhui Li.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Almudena Hospido

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Tan, Q., Song, Q. & Li, J. The environmental performance of fluorescent lamps in China, assessed with the LCA method. Int J Life Cycle Assess 20, 807–818 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-015-0870-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-015-0870-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation