Abstract

The paper deals with a research focused on illustrating advantages and disadvantages on the environment and human health which come from the adoption of the Commission Regulation (EC) N. 244/2009 on the ecodesign of non-directional household lamps. Specifically this directives is aimed at setting innovative ecodesign requirements in order to phase out less-efficient lamps such as discharge bulbs (incandescent bulbs, GLS, or tungsten halogen bulbs). As a result several consequences of the directive implementation have been occurred in the lighting sector, such as the incandescent light bulbs replacement in the household lamp with more efficient light bulbs such as compact fluorescent lamps with integrated ballast (CFL-i). In order to investigate all the regulation consequences, the research has been started from a comparison between two light bulbs: incandescent bulb (GLS) and compact fluorescent bulb (CFL-i). On this comparison, which has been based on a simplified LCA, it has been possible to highlight the critical aspects concerning the right use and the dismantling of the CFL-i lamps. Weakness able to compromise the CFL-i environmental benefits along their life cycle, such as the potential mercury emissions at the end of life, specific requirements for their adoption into the existing lamps and maintenance instruction to ensure their quality over lifetime. Crucial aspects of the CFL-i bulbs that are generally not communicate to the consumers by the light bulb producers in an uniform way. From this background analysis a new scenario in the lighting design field has been delineated on which based the project of a really eco-efficient lighting system. A new scenario that should be based not only on the simple replacement of the light bulbs, but on a re-thinking of the overall lighting system by using innovative technologies, such as the LED technology.