Audit flags the danger of lead bulb poisoning

A worker tests bulbs at a supermarket. FILE PHOTO | NMG 

By EDWIN MUTAI

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Summary

• Auditor-General Edward Ouko has submitted a report to Parliament showing Kenya Power’s failure to effectively manage the Efficient Lighting Project could become costly to the environment.
• Mr Ouko has recommended that the Energy principal secretary and the Kenya Power management, in consultation with Nema fast track the development and implementation of the national waste management strategy for light bulbs.

Electricity distributor Kenya Power has been asked to ensure safe disposal of its energy-efficient lighting bulbs to prevent the risk of lead oxide pollution and the danger it poses to human health.

Auditor-General Edward Ouko has submitted a report to Parliament showing Kenya Power’s failure to effectively manage the Efficient Lighting Project could become costly to the environment.

“The Compact Florescent Lamp (CFL) contains mercury considered hazardous, thus requires special treatment, according to Section 26 of the Environmental Management and Co-ordination (Waste Management) Regulations 2006,” Mr Ouko said in a performance audit report on the Kenya Power’s efficient lighting project.

The performance audit was done following the government’s decision to increase its funding of the Efficient Lighting Project (ELP) from Sh400 million in Phase I to Sh1.76 billion in Phase II.

“The Auditor-General was motivated  by environmental risks associated with poor disposal of both Compact Florescent Lamp (CFL) and Incandescent Lamp (ICL), hence the need to ensure safe disposal of the ICLs recovered from the project plan for end-life management of CFLs,” Mr Ouko said.

The audit found that Kenya Power did not have an end management plan for CFLs distributed during Phase I. Mr Ouko said that out of the 64 beneficiaries interviewed during the audit, 52 had some or all the bulbs reaching their end of life.

“Disposal in the dustbin together with other households waste was the most common method reported by 94 per cent of the 52 beneficiaries. Such waste is eventually taken to the dump site for final disposal posing an environmental pollution and health risk,” Mr Ouko said.

READ: Kenya Power to phase out inefficient household light bulbs

He, however, acknowledged that Kenya Power was developing a national waste management strategy for all light bulbs as part of the technical assistance for Phase II as required under the financial agreement between French Development Bank (AFD) and the government.

“The responsibility for implementation was, however, not clear. While the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) would be better placed to spearhead its implementation, the draft copy of the strategy shared with the audit team did not place the responsibility on Nema and KPLC staff interviewed were non-committal on who should take responsibility for implementation,” the report dated March 6 says.

Mr Ouko has recommended that the Energy principal secretary and the Kenya Power management, in consultation with Nema fast track the development and implementation of the national waste management strategy for light bulbs.

“Nema should fast-track the enactment of the draft Environmental Management and Coordination Act (E-Waste Management) Regulations,” Mr Ouko said. He asked Kenya Power to consider working with Nema and Advanced Recycling Facility to ensure that the recovered lead oxides are safely disposed of.