LED or light emitting diode lights have not only become popular in households but even towns are now replacing regular streetlights with LEDs.
LEDs are more efficient and have a relatively long lifespan when compared to other types of lamps or bulbs. Thus, LEDs save the local governance plenty of money since less maintenance and replacement is required of these products. These lights are also favored due to their high intensity with much lower power consumption.
Old traditional streetlights have already been replaced with the high intensity LED lights in places such as Seattle, Los Angeles, New York, Houston and elsewhere.
However, the American Medical Association gave a report back in June regarding the hazardous impacts of LEDs to human health and the environment.
The report titled "Human and Environmental Effects of Light Emitting Diode Community Lighting," detailed findings from scientific evidence that explains exposure to blue-rich white light at night is liable to increase risks for cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease and was approved by the entire membership of AMA.
It corroborated with concerns presented by the International Dark-Sky Association, called "Visibility, Environmental, and Astronomical Issues Associated with Blue-Rich White Outdoor Lighting," which was released back in 2010 and discussed the threats associated with exposure LEDs.
"The AMA's study not only provides additional rigorous scientific evidence to buttress IDA's longstanding efforts to raise awareness of the potential hazards of blue-rich light, but also speaks to the bold leadership that the medical community has consistently demonstrated on this critical human health and environmental issue," said IDA Executive Director J. Scott Feierabend.
AMA does not fully condemn the lights but even supports the use of LED lighting in order to reduce energy consumption, which do have positive reverberations. But it acknowledged that some LEDs are harmful.
Hence, AMA has adopted an official policy statement about street lighting: cool and dim it.
