Lighting
Manufacturers are not required to indicate how much toxic mercury is in your lighting. To address this issue, we created in 2008 the nation's first list of the amount of toxic mercury in over 700 energy efficient, long-lasting lighting by major manufacturers.
What to Buy
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Save time & money with SF Approved bulbs, ballasts, and fixtures
(see all lighting in one list).
They last longer so you won't have to install and recycle lighting as frequently.
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Replace incandescents (nightlights, reading, accent, porch) with LEDs.
They are are more efficient, durable, and longer lasting than incandescents and fluorescents.
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Replace incandescents with compact fluorescent lights (CFLs).
Save $30 in electricity costs over each CFL's lifetime.
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Try SF Approved dimmable, residential, commercial, outdoor lighting.
SF City Staff Lighting Compliance Checklist
1. City Depts. are REQUIRED to buy lighting using these guidelines.
2. All other lighting is LIMITED USE (inefficient, short-life, or high mercury), such as:
- T12 lamps or ballasts.
- Incandescents that cannot be replaced with LEDs, CFLs, other fluorescents, high-intensity discharge lamps.
- Specialty applications (e.g., historic fixtures).
3. Who can help you avoid LIMITED USE lighting:
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Steven Mesh, LC, IESNA, Pacific Energy Center, 415-972-5238, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
- SFPUC retrofit program: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 415-554-3101.
4. Sign up to get an email when this Lighting List is updated in 2011.
5. Order posters to hang where lighting is collected for recycling.
6. Recycle Lighting
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City-owned buildings: have your lighting vendor or SFDPH pick it up ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 415-252-3962).
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Privately-owned buildings: check the EcoFinder at sfenvironment.org.
7. Use the Buy Green Checklist for Compliance & Prizes
Compliance is monitored by Office of Contract Administration & SF Dept. of Environment.
SF Business & Property Owner Energy Savings Program
Contact SF Energy Watch (415-355-3769) to get a free on-site assessment to identify energy savings & low-cost installation of energy-saving equipment.
Why Buy Low-Mercury Lighting & Recycle
Fluorescent bulbs contain elemental mercury. If they break, mercury is breathed as a vapor:
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Short-term acute exposure can cause pneumonia-like symptoms.
Mercury released in the air gets into water and fish. It transforms into methylmercury in fish. Up to 637,233 children/year have cord blood mercury levels over 5.8 μg/L, a level associated with loss of IQ.
Coal-burning power plants are the largest man-made source of mercury emissions to the air in the U.S. Using energy-efficient lighting reduces demand for power, which reduces mercury released by coal-burning power plants.
Recycling Mercury Products at Earth 911.org
Safely dispose products with mercury:
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Ballasts & bulbs (fluorescents, neon, metal halide, mercury vapor).
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Singing greeting cards, flashing jewelry & shoes
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Thermometers, thermostats
How Products Get on the List
- SF Approved Lighting products are primarily limited to products SF City Depts. can buy at a contract negotiated price. It is not a full list of all low-mercury, energy-efficient lighting in the world.
- Learn more about How Products Get on the List.
- Sign up to get an email when this Lighting List is updated in 2011.
Who Created This List
Editors:
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Jessian Choy, SFE
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Alicia Culver, Green Purchasing Institute
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Chris Geiger, SFE
Advisors:
- Danielle Dowers, SF Public Utilities Commission
Contributors:
