Mercury Pollution, Treatment and Solutions in Spent Fluorescent Lamps in Mainland China

Abstract

With the increasing awareness of energy conservation and environmental protection, high energy-consuming incandescent lamps have been largely withdrawn from the stage of mainland China’s lighting industry because the main raw material for electricity production-coal-produces mercury pollution when burned and energy-saving fluorescent lamps have made considerable progress. However, fluorescent lamps emit mercury, which still causes environmental pollution. In this work, the existing problems in the development of fluorescent lamps, and in the collection and treatment of spent fluorescent lamps were analyzed. The contributions of various external factors to the above problems were evaluated based on fuzzy theory. Finally, solutions to control the pollution of mercury from fluorescent lamps and spent fluorescent lamps were proposed. Results show that the biggest problem that causes mercury pollution is the first among three factors: energy conservation and mercury emission from fluorescent lamps and spent fluorescent lamps, spent fluorescent lamp collection and spent fluorescent lamp treatment. The best way to solve these problems is by developing an energy-saving and environment-friendly light emitting diode (LED) industry in mainland China.

Photo-On-Demand Synthesis of α-Amino Acid N-Carboxyanhydrides with Chloroform

“…With recent global concerns about the use of mercury lamps, which should be avoided due to their large environmental impacts and health hazards, we further demonstrated the photochemical synthesis of NCA with visible light upon mixing a small amount of Cl 2 (∼2%) with O 2 gas. Although the reaction time was increased, a 1:1 (v/v) mixture of CHCl 3 and CH 3 CN containing l -Phe or l -Leu provided the corresponding NCAs in 65% and 60% yields, respectively, without notable side products (Table ).…”

Tracing the Uncertain Chinese Mercury Footprint within the Global Supply Chain Using a Stochastic, Nested Input–Output Model

“…Hence, policies on mercury containing waste (e.g., fluorescent lamps) recycling should be the emphasis in these regions. Currently, minimum effort has been made in the recycling of household consumed mercury containing wastes . With reference to our study, Chinese high-level advising institution and think tanks (e.g., Chinese Academy of Environment Planning, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences) could formulate policy recommendations for the Ministry of Ecology and Environment as well as the Central Government on where to launch the most effective household mercury containing wastes recycling scheme to ensure economic-of-scale for sorting and recycling stations.…”

“…Currently, minimum effort has been made in the recycling of household consumed mercury containing wastes. 68 With reference to our study, Chinese high-level advising institution and think tanks (e.g., Chinese Academy of Environment Planning, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences) could formulate policy recommendations for the Ministry of Ecology and Environment as well as the Central Government on where to launch the most effective household mercury containing wastes recycling scheme to ensure economic-of-scale for sorting and recycling stations. Since the Chinese government relies more on top-down designs for policy devising, we believe such a macro-level accounting research could facilitate the Central Government to initiate effective measures to curtail mercury emission from demand side perspectives too.…”

Photo-on-Demand In Situ One-Pot Synthesis of Carbonate Esters from Tetrachloroethylene

“…The photochemical reactions described above used an LPML capable of generating high-energy UV-C light with a relatively low electric power consumption. However, it should be replaced with an LED in light of recent social concerns about the environmental impact and health hazards of mercury lamps . Additionally, UV-C light causes a certain amount of photodecomposition of organic substrates and products .…”