THE Caribbean Community (Caricom) Secretariat and the Clean Lighting Coalition are pushing for the increased use of mercury-free LED lighting in Latin America and the Caribbean to ease the region’s dependency on fossil fuels.

Policymakers in the region have already taken significant steps to remove mercury from the market, moving the region closer to a safe, mercury-free future.

Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) is an import-based market for fluorescents.

Fluorescent light bulbs contain mercury, a known pollutant. At the end of life, fluorescents are discarded in the general waste streams where due to their fragility, they break, releasing mercury into the environment. Despite this risk, only a few LAC countries have specific bills on e-waste management in place.

By switching to light-emitting diodes (LEDs) — which consume up to 50 per cent less energy — Caricom member states can save 10.4 TWh of electricity from 2025 to 2050.

At the upcoming Minamata Convention Conference of Parties (COP4), regional leaders are expected to fast-track the transition to clean lighting by supporting a proposed amendment by the Africa region.

In a release, the Caricom Secretariat noted that “our governments and clean lighting experts will discuss legislative efforts that are driving a transition to more efficient LEDs in the region and globally, the availability and affordability of these mercury-free alternatives, and the overall environmental and economic benefits.”

In May 2021, Colombia announced it would no longer allow the manufacture, import or export of products containing added mercury putting Colombia on the forefront of the transition to cleaner, safer consumer products.

In the meantime, implementation of the Caribbean Energy Efficiency Lighting Project (CEELP) has sought to catalyse the transition to low carbon economies and sustainable energy sectors through the provision of energy efficient lighting to communities in the Eastern Caribbean. The project, which is being executed in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme, has raised initial awareness and developed basic capacity among key stakeholders.

Similarly, the board of directors of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has approved funding of US$25 million to replace existing streetlights in Jamaica with high efficiency light-emitting diode (LED) lamps. Additional funding in the tune of US$6.4 million has also been disbursed to St Kitts and Nevis for a similar street lighting project.