LCQ16: Data of Incandescent Light Bulbs, hot cathode fluorescent lamps and light emitting diodes
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     Following is a question by the Hon Audrey Eu and a written reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau, in the Legislative Council meeting today (April 25):

Questions:

     In recent years, the Government and various sectors of the community advocate abandoning the use of incandescent light bulbs (ILBs) and replacing them with the use of compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and light emitting diode (LED) lights.  In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether it knows, in each of the past five years:

(a) the respective quantities of ILBs imported to and re-exported through Hong Kong and the local market share of ILBs;
(b) the respective quantities of CFLs imported to and re-exported through Hong Kong and the local market share of CFLs; and
(c) the respective quantities of LED lights imported to and re-exported through Hong Kong and the local market share of LED lights?

Reply:

President,

     The Census and Statistics Department compiles the import and re-export statistics of Incandescent Light Bulbs (ILBs), hot cathode fluorescent lamps (including compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and fluorescent tubes) and light emitting diodes (LED) based on the information provided by importers and exporters to the Customs and Excise Department (C&ED).  The figures for 2007-2011 are as follows-

(a) ILB
Year      Imports Quantity        Re-exports Quantity
          (No. in million)         (No. in million)
2007           153                115
2008           161                109
2009           119                 85
2010           100                 93
2011           109                 91

(b) Hot Cathode Fluorescent Lamps (including CFLs and Fluorescent Tubes)

Year      Imports Quantity       Re-exports Quantity
          (No. in million)        (No. in million)          

2007              100                 86
2008              107                 86
2009               65                 47
2010               73                 41
2011               49                 24

(c) LED (Note)
Year      Imports Quantity       Re-exports Quantity
          (No. in million)        (No. in million)

2007           18,710                 14,680
2008           21,552                 14,093
2009           20,698                 14,073
2010           28,356                 19,068
2011           32,231                 21,794

Note: Apart from general lighting purposes, LED can also be used as decorative lighting, indicators, display boards, etc.

     The above figures are compiled based on the information provided by various importers and exporters to C&ED, but the difference between the import and re-export quantities in a particular year is not equivalent to the local sales figure that year.  

     We do not have local sales figures of various types of lamps each year.  According to a survey commissioned by the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department in 2008, the numbers of ILBs, CFLs and fluorescent tubes used in the lighting installations of local residential and commercial buildings were about 11 million, 21.7 million and 19.9 million respectively.  The survey did not cover the number of LED.

Ends/Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Issued at HKT 12:41

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