LED light bulbs likened to asbestos: ‘A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY’
'We found that short wavelengths, like deep blues, were having a very negative effect'
Author of the article

enette Wilford
Published Sep 23, 2026 • Last updated 17 hours ago • 3 minute read
LED light bulbs are offered for sale at a Home Depot store on December 27, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois.
LED light bulbs are offered for sale at a Home Depot store on December 27, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois. Photo by Scott Olson /Getty Images
Researchers in London are shedding light on just how harmful a very common item found in many households and businesses can be.
LED (light-emitting diode) light bulbs, grew in popularity in the late 2000s because they use up to 90% less energy, on average, than traditional incandescent light bulbs, and last at least 15 times longer, according to Natural Resources Canada.
Saving money and reducing your carbon footprint sounds like a win-win, right?
Researchers out of University College London, however, are sounding the alarm on LED lighting, which they say could pose a serious and largely overlooked health risk, according to The European.
Glen Jeffery, a professor of neuroscience at UCL’s Institute of Ophthalmology, acknowledges that LEDs were introduced for good reasons, there’s more than meets the eye to them due to the different light they emit.
“LED lighting is damaging mitochondria and therefore there is no question you’re damaging systemic health,” Jeffrey told the publication. “This is a clear and present public health emergency and we need to take action.”
He even went so far as to call it the “new asbestos,” which can release fibres in the air that may be inhaled and increase the risk of serious illness, such as lung cancer or mesothelioma.
What is mitochondria?
Mitochondria are the energy-producing structures inside human cells often called the “powerhouses of the cell,” according to MitoCanada. When they don’t work properly, the impact can be serious, complex, and life-changing.
Jeffrey’s investigation began in 2010, after colleagues tested on animals and found that red light appeared to improve patterns of recovery after vision damage.
“We found that neuronal damage was considerably slowed by being exposed to red light,” he detailed, adding that “other experiments showed that the process of degeneration was slowed by red light.”
More red light is needed
Jeffrey delved into what the red light was actually doing and linked it to mitochondria.
“We watched the mitochondria directly in the animal model and we found clearly that red light to near infrared light was having a very positive effect,” he explained. “And we found that short wavelengths, like deep blues, were having a very negative effect.”
As for humans, Jeffrey noted that we have more mitochondria in our retina than any other part of your body. After exposing older people to red light, they found “we could improve their vision by using red light at 670nm wavelength for just three minutes. And there was a very significant improvement in colour vision.”
No adverse effects
The European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks concluded that “there is no evidence of direct adverse health effects from LEDs in normal use by the general healthy population.”
They did, however, note that LED lights can cause temporary discomfort and may effect the sleep/wake cycle.
“All light sources affect the circadian rhythms, but more research is needed to ascertain the specific impact of LED lights on the sleep/wake cycle, and also to determine if disturbances to the circadian system lead to adverse health effects,” they said.
How can we better protect ourselves?
Given that LEDs are now so commonly used, Jeffrey suggests that people ensure they receive enough infrared light, and if you can find one, add an incandescent or halogen bulb into an LED-lit room to make sure that fuller-spectrum light is present.
Otherwise, the sun is your friend and Jeffrey urges people to get outside, particularly in the morning and evening while avoiding excessive ultraviolet exposure.
Are LED lights safe for human health?
health.ec.europa.eu
Steve McCauley explores UCL research warning that modern LED lighting may affect mitochondrial function and pose a potential health risk.
the-european.eu
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natural-resources.canada.ca
Researchers in London are shedding light on just how harmful a very common item found in many households and businesses can be. Read on.
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