Visakhapatnam shows the way in reducing carbon dioxide emission - Has 100% CFL coverage

  Osram has distributed nearly seven lakh energy saving CFL bulbs

It engages self-help groups for collecting the filament bulbs 

VISAKHAPATNAM: Visakhapatnam has become the first district in the country to have nearly 100 per cent coverage of compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) to pave the way for earning carbon credit as per Kyoto Protocol.

Eastern Power Distribution Company of AP Limited (EPDCL) after tying up with Osram India Private Limited has distributed nearly seven lakh energy saving CFL bulbs to the households in the district. In exchange, Osram, which initially engaged self-help groups for collecting the filament bulbs, has so far destroyed 5.6 lakh filament bulbs.

Safe disposal  

Safe disposal methods were followed by powdering the glass and removing aluminium and sending them for recycling in the presence of the officials of AP Pollution Control Board.

Barring some remote and Maoist hit areas in the agency distribution of CFL bulbs is completed throughout the district. The eco-friendly project forms part of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). EPDCL charged Rs.15 per bulb from the consumers. This was spent on safe disposal of filament bulbs.

An official of Osram told The Hindu that because of its initiative, EPDCL would have a peak load reduction of 30 megawatts and reduction of 40 kilo tonnes of carbon dioxide emission.

The official said the incandescent bulbs were destroyed to prevent reuse. Yamunanagar in Haryana will become the second district to adopt the methodology for earning credits as per United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change.

Kyoto Protocol  

Kyoto Protocol, to which India is a signatory, recommends developing countries to restrict Greenhouse gas emissions.

As per Kyoto Protocol, CDM allows emission-reduction projects in developing countries to earn certified emission reduction (CER) credits, each equivalent to one tonne of CO2. The CERs could be traded and sold and used by industrialised countries to a meet a part of their emission reduction targets under Kyoto Protocol. CDM envisages sustainable development and emission reduction while giving industrialised countries some flexibility in how they meet their emission reduction limitation targets.