HPA warns against eco light bulbs

Bristol, October 10: Working too close to eco-friendly light bulbs could be dangerous resulting in skin reddening due to emissions of ultraviolet rays, the health experts have warned.

Health Protection Agency (HPA) has issued warning against any use of energy-saving light bulbs that could result in skin reactions in the form of reddening of the skin due to ultraviolet light emissions. These energy saving bulbs emit levels of UV radiationdefine sufficient to damage our skin aggravating light-sensitive conditions like eczemadefine, blood disease lupus or porpyhria.

The health experts warn against being closer than 1 feet or 30 cm to some compact fluorescent bulbs for a longer duration as they emit more than the permissible rate of harmful UV radiation.

These eco-friendly light bulbs, also known as ‘compact fluorescent lights’, usually come in two types - “open”(unencapsulated) bulbs with glass coils visible clearly (not surrounded by a glass case) and “encapsulated” ones with the coil enclosed in a second layer of glass.

The tests on light bulbs were conducted by John O’Hagan, a scientist working with HPA’s Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, after a group of patients, including a few with the photosensitivity skin disease lupus, had raised serious concerns about them.

The researchers said that people need to exercise caution when keeping open bulbs in close proximity to the skin as one in five of these bulbs are likely to emit ultraviolet rays which are equivalent to the intensity of UV rays on a sunny summer’s day.

However, encapsulated lights with a double glass envelope are considered safe for use even in close proximity as they do not emit significant amount of ultraviolet rays.

The warning is particularly directed at people including jewelry artisans and car mechanics who might be working with desk lamps kept closer to their face making them vulnerable to skin reactions. UV rays could also affect those using reading lamps by their bedside tables.

The most immediate risk from all such light bulbs could be a reddening of the skin for a short period typical to sunburn. However, there seems to be no available evidence that such light bulbs pose any risk of skin cancerdefine.

The Health Protection Agency advices that people may continue to use all types of compact fluorescent light bulbs, including open bulbs which look like traditional bulbs, without any risk if kept within the recognized safety limits of more than one foot (or 30 cm) away.