spectrumalliance

We are a group of charities working with people with health conditions which can involve some form of light sensitivity.   The conditions include the auto-immune disease lupus, the genetic disorder Xeroderma Pigmentosum (XP), certain forms of eczema and dermatitis, photosensitivity, and many others.   People with light sensitivity arising from these conditions suffer severe and painful reactions to non-incandescent lighting, including to fluorescent low-energy lightbulbs (compact fluorescent lightbulbs or CFLs).   They can only tolerate incandescent bulbs. 

Aren’t incandescent bulbs being phased out?  

Yes.   Most have been phased out already, only the low wattage and a few specialist bulbs remain.   The timetable has been set for phasing out all 'normal' incandescent bulbs.

What will the ban mean for people with light sensitivity conditions?

The consequences of a ban on incandescent bulbs will be   - People with the conditions outlined will be unable to use electric light in their homes and will be unable to go anywhere else where electric light is in use.   They will suffer severe disruption to their home life, family life and social life, and increased painful ill health (which may be long-lasting) when they are forced of necessity on occasions to be exposed to CFLs.  Their access to places they can currently access, either because these places have incandescent lighting or because they are able to take their own incandescent lamps or incandescent bulbs with them, will be removed.   This includes access to employment, including self-employment based in the home, places of worship, cultural and educational activities and   visits to friends and family.   This will result in total social exclusion for vulnerable sick and disabled people.   We believe these effects will run directly counter to many other stated policies of this Government, including: · the Disability Equality Duty, which came into force on 4^th December 2006 · the Green Paper on Welfare Reform published in January 2006, which aims to cut the number of IB recipients by 1 million over the next 10 years by helping long-term sick and disabled people stay in employment, or move off benefits into employment.

How many people will be affected?

We estimate that a few hundred thousand people may be affected as a result of the health conditions set out above.     We believe that a full health impact assessment should be carried out before this policy is taken any further. 

What does the Government say about this?     

That they are working on it. But nothing seems to get done.   

What does SPECTRUM want to achieve?   

We believe that any solution which protects the rights of people with light sensitivity conditions must achieve the following:   

• People with sensitivity conditions must be able to continue to purchase incandescent bulbs for their homes.   

• Their friends and families must be able to purchase incandescent bulbs so that sufferers can pay visits to them and do not become isolated in their own homes.   

• Employers must be able to purchase incandescent bulbs so that they can provide safe lighting for employees who cannot tolerate fluorescent lighting.   Employees have a right to such reasonable adjustments under the terms of the Disability Discrimination Act.   

• All NHS providers need to provide areas with incandescent lighting so that people with light sensitivity conditions can access medical care.   Several NHS Trusts have now done this (for example Plymouth and Isle of Wight).   Clearly, given this Government’s commitment to improving access for disabled people, and also encouraging them to move into employment, these moves to introduce safe lighting to environments where light-sensitive people need access should not be undermined.   

• The price of incandescent lightbulbs must not rise to the point that people who have no choice but to use them are seriously financially disadvantaged.    

 Are there any energy efficient alternatives to CFLs?   

Many people have contacted us to say  they have an equally bad reaction to LEDs so these are not the answer.    More energy-efficient incandescent light bulbs are currently being developed by the company GE and others.    We do not yet know whether these new types of incandescent bulb will be suitable for everyone with   light sensitivity, but it is encouraging.    

Are the Green Movement aware of this issue? 

We have raised this issue with Caroline Lucas, the Green Party MEP, who has been very vocal in support of a total ban on incandescent bulbs.   Her response was:  

"The written declaration   is intended as a broad political signal to   demonstrate the desire of the European Parliament for the Council and Commission to   prioritise the bringing forward of legislation on energy efficiency for lighting. This is especially important   in order to ensure that it does not go the way of so many other targets (i.e. unmet). There are evidently a great many issues to consider in the intelligent design of any legislation, with a need for certain exceptions / exemptions   to be built in. As you point out in your correspondence the need for cooperation between politicians, civil society and industry is paramount here and the hope is that any exemptions/exceptions would be short term, allowing for the development of new appropriate technologies and applications   in the long term.   Users like yourself would seem to have a very good case for special consideration within the legislation and please be assured that Caroline will do all she can to ensure this happens.”

Right to Light are contacting key people in the Green movement.   They hope to set up a meeting where Green activists and people with knowledge of light sensitivity and disability issues can engage in constructive dialogue.

What is happening in other countries? Are people campaigning there? 

Yes. New Zealand has rescinded their ban. We are in touch with campaigners in Austrialia, Europe and the U.S.A. As a result of campaigning by / and on behalf of light sensitive people in Califorina, Assemblyman Lloyd Levine has rewritten his bill banning incandescent lightbulbs.   It now aims to make all bulbs more efficient.   See http://leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_0701-0750/ab_722_bill_20070604_amended_asm_v97.pdf