Who said there were no choices?
The New Zealand Government announcement highlighting the phase out of the traditional incandescent light globe in late
2009 has created some undue consumer concern over the lack of energy saving lamps to suit their personal taste and
requirements.
Today’s compact fluorescent lamps (CFLS) are available in a number of shapes, hues, sizes and dimmable products that
will change the average person’s perception of the traditional energy efficient light globe. Consumers can now energy
saving lamps that will suit everything from outside lighting to chandeliers to bedside lamps.
Philips Lighting New Zealand welcomes concerned consumers to call us on:
0 800 4 Light or 0 800 45 4448 to find out which energy saving light globe will suit their needs and find out about
their closest stockists.
We have also made this information available on our website: www.philips.co.nz
Please find our most frequently asked questions below
How can an Energy Saving lamps save me money?
Traditionally, New Zealand homes have been lit using a 100W or 75W lamp, which draws the respective amount of power. The
energy saving lamp can draw a significantly smaller amount of power and yet provide the same amount of light. A CFL uses
up to 80% less energy than an incandescent light bulb and lasts at least 6 times longer.
Due to the reduction in energy usage, users will save a significant amount of money over the life of the light globes.
I don’t like the colour produced by energy saver globes.
Is that being improved to be more like incandescent lamps?
Energy saver globes have evolved to the point where good quality globes now are usually very similar in functionality to
incandescent. They last longer and energy saving globes from reputable manufacturers render a light quality which
approaches very closely that of incandescent globes.
Energy saver globes can also be purchased in either a ‘cool white’ or ‘warm white’ colour. Warm white would be more
suitable for general use around the home including reading, while cool white would be better suited to task work such as
cooking.
I have dimmer switches in my house. Can you dim energy saver globes?
There are new energy saver globes available today that can operate and dim on ordinary domestic dimmer switches. Philips
dimmable energy saver globes are now available in New Zealand.
Do energy saver globes contain Mercury?
Compact fluorescent globes contain a small amount of mercury, an essential component in the operation of the globe. Most
energy saver globes contain between 3-5mg of mercury, by comparison a typical thermometer has between 500 and 3,000mg of
mercury.
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, using a CFL actually presents an opportunity to reduce the release
of mercury into the environment. As CFLs use up to 80% less energy than an incandescent light bulb and lasts at least 6
times longer, the power generated from a standard power plant will emit 10mg of mercury to produce the electricity to
run an incandescent bulb, compared to 2.4mg to run a CFL for the same time.
What do I do with an energy saver globe when it burns out? What is the proper disposal procedure?
Energy saver globes are safe to use in your house. No mercury is released when the bulbs are in use and they pose no
danger to you or your family when used properly.
However, energy saver globes are made of glass tubing and can break if dropped or roughly handled. Care should be taken
when removing the globe from its packaging, installing it, or replacing it. Always screw and unscrew the globe by its
base, and never forcefully twist the energy saver globe into a light socket by its tubes.
If you break an energy saver globe, please take the following steps:
Ventilate the room for 20-30 minutes
Use gloves to remove all the pieces
Do not use a vacuum cleaner
Do not throw energy saver globes away in your household rubbish if better disposal options exist.
If your local waste management agency offers no other disposal options except your household rubbish, wrap the
energy saver globe in newspaper and place and seal the energy saver globe in a plastic bag before putting it in the
trash.
If you require more information please visit:
The New Zealand Ministry for the Environment Website:
http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/waste/disposal-household-lamps-mar07/disposal-household-lamps-mar07.html
ends