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Low Mercury Fluorescent Lamps Just the Facts Low Mercury Fluorescent Lamps
February 2003

37-

Low Mercury Fluorescent
Lamps


February 2003



1. Background: In 1994, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA)
estimated that the United States annually disposes of 500 to 550 million fluorescent
lamps. More than 80 percent of those fluorescent lamps belonged to industrial and
commercial facilities. The presence of mercury (Hg) in a fluorescent lamp is essential
for the function of the lamp. The fluorescent lamp industry has agreed upon the
importance of reducing the amount of Hg found in fluorescent lamps. NEMA has
provided statistics that show the average Hg content for a 4-foot, 40-watt T-12 (for
twelve-eights of an inch) lamp has been reduced from 48.2 milligrams to 22.8 milligrams
of Hg.

2. New Technology: The establishment of the Toxic Characteristic Leaching
Procedure (TCLP) standard of 0.2 mg/l for mercury by the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) made fluorescent lamps a hazardous waste. In 1995, Philips Lighting
Company introduced its new Alto technology for low mercury fluorescent lamps. The
purpose of this technology was to reduce the amount of Hg in the lamps to a level
where it would pass the Toxic Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) standard of
0.2 mg/l. Other companies such as General Electric (GE) and Osram Sylvania have
followed Philips and developed their own low mercury fluorescent lamps that pass
TCLP testing (see paragraph 4). The U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and
Preventive Medicine recommends the use of low mercury fluorescent lamps. Currently,
to distinguish low mercury fluorescent lamps from normal fluorescent lamps, the three
American manufacturers are using some type of green markings for identification.
Philips Lighting Alto lamps have green end caps. Osram Sylvania Ecologic and GE
Ecolux are using green lettering for identification. Foreign manufacturers may be
using green markings on fluorescent lamps; however, the markings may not indicate
low mercury.

3. Energy-Savings and Life: Currently, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) has an
Energy Efficient Lighting catalogue where both Energy-Saving fluorescent lamps and
low mercury fluorescent lamps can be obtained. When comparing Energy-Saving
fluorescent lamps to low mercury fluorescent lamps in wattage and average life, both
are comparable with each other with wattage at 32-34 watts and an average life of
15,000-20,000 hours for the 48-inch lamps. However, only the low mercury fluorescent

1 Just the Facts Low Mercury Fluorescent Lamps
February 2003
lamps will pass the TCLP test. Energy-saving is not synonymous with low mercury.
If your activity has purchased energy-saving fluorescent lamps believing they were also
low mercury, inspect the lamps to ensure they are in fact low mercury lamps. You can
contact DLA for more information at 1-800-DLA-BULB or visit to their web site at
http://www.dscp.dla.mil/gi/general/light1.htm
.


4. TCLP Test Results: The TCLP test results obtained from Philips, Sylvania, and GE
show these lamps are below the regulatory limit of 0.2 mg/L. The last three tables show
test results from sampling performed by USACHPPM of the Philips Alto lamps, GE
Ecolux lamps, and Sylvania Ecologic lamps.



Philips Alto T8 Medium Bi-Pin

Kelvin
Temp

*CRI

Length

(inches)

Nomin l

a
Watts

Avg.

Life

Part

Number

NSN

Manuf TCLP
Results

[units (mg/L) at
chemical (Hg)]

3000

75

20,000

F32T8/TL730/ALTO

6240-01-447-
2666

3500

75

20,000

F32T8/TL735/ALTO

6240-01-447-
3464

4100

75

20,000

F32T8/TL741/ALTO

6240-01-447-
3469

3000

85

20,000

F32T8/TL830/ALTO

6240-01-447-
3473

3500

85

20,000

F32T8/TL835/ALTO

6240-01-447-
3480

4100

85

20,000

F32T8/TL841/ALTO

6240-01-447-
3482

5000

86

20,000

F32T8/TL850/ALTO

6240-01-425-
8301

5000

75

48

32

20,000

F32T8TL750/ALTO


0.06

(avg of 3 tests)


Philips Alto T12 Medium Bi-Pin

Kelvin

Temp

*CRI

Length

(inches)

Nominal

Watts

Avg

.
Life

Part

Number

NSN

Manuf TCLP
Results

[units (mg/L) at
chemical (Hg)]

4100

62

24

20

9000

F 2 0 T 1 2 C W / R S / E W / A L T O
6240-01-453-
6482

4100

62

48

34

20,000

F40T12CW/R S/EW/A LTO

6240-01-424-
9648

0.10
(avg of 8 test)

3000

70

20,000

F40T12/SPEC30/RS/EW/ALTO

6240-01-431-
3093

3500

73

20,000

F40T12/SPEC35/RS/EW/ALTO

6240-01-431-
3257

4100

70

20,000

F40T12/SPEC41/RS/EW/ALTO

6240-01-431-
3268

3000

85

20,000

F40T12Ultralume/30U/RS/EW/ALTO

6240-01-431-
3314

3500

85

20,000

F40T12Ultralume/35U/RS/EW/ALTO

6240-01-431-
3331

4100

85

20,000

F40T12Ultralume/41U/RS/EW/ALTO

6240-01-431-
3359

5000

85

48

40

20,000

F40T12Ultralume/50U/RS/EW/ALTO

6240-01-431-
3363

0.12
(avg of 4 tests)


2 Just the Facts Low Mercury Fluorescent Lamps
February 2003
Kelvin

Temp

*CRI

Length

(inches)

Nominal

Watts

Avg

.
Life

Part

Number

NSN

Manuf TCLP
Results

[units (mg/L) at
chemical (Hg)]

4100

62

96

60

12,000

F96T12/CW/EW/ALTO

6240-01-453-
6482

3000

53

24

20

9,000

F20T12/WW/ALTO


4100

62

36

30

18,000

F30T12CW/RS/ALTO


4100

62

36

25

18,000

F30T12/C W/RS/E W/ALTO


0.10
(avg of 8 tests)

3000

70

48

40

20,000

F40/SPEC30/ALTO


3500

73

48

40

20,000

F40/SPEC35/ALTO


4100

70

48

40

20,000

F40SPEC41/ALTO


3000

85

48

40

20,000

F40/30U/ALTO


3500

85

48

40

20,000

F40/35U/ALTO


4100

85

48

40

20,000

F40/41U/ALTO


5000

85

48

40

20,000

F40/50U/ALTO


0.12
(avg of 4 tests)

3000

53

48

34

20,000

F40T12WW/R S/EW/A


4100

51

48

34

20,000

F40T12LW/RS/EW/ALTO


6500

84

48

34

20,000

F40T12DX/R S/EW/A LTO


0.10
(avg of 8 tests)




Philips Alto T12 Single Pin

Kelvin

Temp

*CRI

Length

(inches)

Nomin

al
Watts

Avg.

Life

Part Number

NSN

Manuf TCLP Results

[units (mg/L) at
chemical (Hg)]

4100

62

96

60

12,000

F96T12/CW/EW/ALTO

6240-01-453-7614

0.10

(avg of 8 tests)



Osram Sylvania ECOLOGIC

Kelvin Temp

*CRI

Length

(inches)

Nomin l

a
Watts

Avg

.
Life

Part

Number

NSN

Manuf TCLP Results
[units (mg/L) at
chemical (Hg)]

T8 cologic Octron s ries, Medium Bi Pin

E
e
3000

75

20,000

F032/730/ECO

6240-01-457-
3789

3500

75

20,000

F32/735/ECO

6240-01-457-
3792

4100

75

20,000

F32/741/ECO

6240-01-457-
3794

0.09

3000

82

20,000

F32/830/ECO

6240-01-457-
3798

3500

82

20,000

F32/835/ECO

6240-01-457-
3806

4100

82

48

32

20,000

F32/841/ECO

6240-01-457-
3811

0.11

T8 Ecologic Octron Curvalume (1-5/8 inch leg spacing), Medium i Pin
B
3000

82

20,000

FBO31/830/ECO

6240-01-457-
3814


3500

82

20,000

FBO31/835/ECO

6240-01-457-
3817


4100

82

22.5

32

20,000

FBO31/841/ECO

6240-01-457-
3825




3 Just the Facts Low Mercury Fluorescent Lamps
February 2003
GE "ECOLUX "

Kelvin
Temp

*CRI

Length

(inches)

Nomin l

a
Watts

Avg

.
Life

Part

Number

NSN

Manuf TCLP Results
[units (mg/L) at
chemical (Hg)]

T8 ECOLUX, Medium Bi Pin

3000

78

20,000

F32T8/SP30/ECO

6240-01-454-
0810


3500

78

20,000

F32T8/SP35/ECO

6240-01-454-
0817


4100

78

20,000

F32T8/SP41/ECO

6240-01-454-
0820

0.06

3000

86

20,000

F32T8/SPX30/ECO

6240-01-454-
0824


3500

86

20,000

F32T8/SPX35/ECO

6240-01-454-
0827


4100

86

48

32

20,000

F32T8/SPX41/ECO

6240-01-454-
0831


F40 Watt-Miser Ecolux, Medium Bi Pin

3000

70

20,000

F40SP30/RS/WM/ECO

6240-01-454-
0846


3500

73

20,000

F40SP35/RS/WM/ECO

6240-01-454-
0853


4100

72

20,000

F40SP41/RS/WM/ECO

6240-01-454-
0855


3000

82

20,000

F40SPX30/RS/WM/ECO

6240-01-454-
0858


3500

82

20,000

F40SPX35/RS/WM/ECO

6240-01-454-
0860


4100

80



20,000

F40SPX41/RS/WM/ECO

6240-01-454-
0864


T12 F36 Watt-Miser Ecolux, Medium Bi Pin

4150

62

12,000

F96T12/CW/WM/ECO

6240-01-454-
0872


3000

70

12,000

F96T12/SP30/WM/ECO

6240-01-454-
0873


3500

73

12,000

F96T12/SP35/WM/ECO

6240-01-454-
0889


4100

72

12,000

F96T12/SP41/WM/ECO

6240-01-454-
0890


3000

82

12,000

F96T12/SPX30/WM/ECO

6240-01-454-
0896


3500

82

12,000

F96T12/SPX35/WM/ECO

6240-01-454-
0895


4100

80

96

32

12,000

F96T12/SPX41/WM/ECO

6240-01-454-
0899


* CRI (Color Rendering Index)




4 Just the Facts Low Mercury Fluorescent Lamps
February 2003
USACHPPM TCLP Testing of 10 Philips Alto F3278/TL741 Fluorescent Lamps for
Verification of Manufacturer TCLP Testing

Analytical Method: EPA 7470A
Date Analyzed: 7 May 2001
Sample

Result/Units
Of Mercury

Method
Detection
Limit

Regulatory
Limit of
Mercury

Bulb-1

0.0300 mg/L

Bulb-2

0.0500 mg/L

Bulb-3

0.1600 mg/L

Bulb-4

0.1200