Fears millions of LED lights installed across UK are ramping up risk of deadly health issues

Despite these warnings, councils responding to climate targets set by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband continue deploying what campaigners describe as hazardous replacements for traditional sodium lamps.

Research has suggested that men experiencing significant nocturnal exposure to these blue-spectrum lights face double the likelihood of developing prostate cancer.

Advocates have also highlighted associations with depression, diabetes and sleep disorders with concerns regarding blue LED lighting first being raised a decade ago.

The American Medical Association warned these lights can suppress the body's production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep and serves as a potent defence against hormone-dependent prostate and breast cancers.

A 2018 investigation conducted jointly by the University of Exeter and Barcelona's Institute for Global Health examined residents in Madrid and Barcelona with substantial night-time exposure to blue-rich outdoor lighting.

Dr Alejandro Sanchez de Miguel of Exeter University said: "Scientists have long suspected this may be the case – now our findings indicate a strong link."

The study revealed a twofold increase in prostate cancer risk and 1.5 times greater likelihood of breast cancer among those exposed.

More recently, research from Australia's Flinders University tracking 90,000 UK participants using wristband light sensors found nocturnal exposure to street lamps elevated heart disease risk by up to 56 per cent.

At least nine major research projects over the past decade have identified similar connections to prostate cancer.

The total number of LED street lights across Britain now approaches 5 million, rising from 3.9 million five years previously, with more than half believed to emit blue-rich light.

Freedom of Information requests to councils overseeing the ten largest cities in England and Wales, plus the five biggest London boroughs, revealed a combined total exceeding 360,000 blue-rich LEDs rated at 4000K or higher.

Only Bradford and Cardiff are currently operating exclusively with warmer 3000K lighting, the Daily Mail reported.

Eleanor Levin, chairman of light pollution campaign group Lightaware, said: "Councils are still installing 4000K LED street lights, known to make people seriously ill, because they want to maximise savings.

"The evidence is already compelling – links to cancer, heart disease, depression, diabetes, an epidemic of insomnia – and yet safer alternatives are available.

"Blue-rich LED street lights are the wrong light for the night-time. They are at exactly the wavelength which affects human sleep cycles. Our research shows that 97 per cent of councils have now installed LED street lighting. Four out of five did not consider the health impact of this change."

Dorset Council has now committed to ensuring all new LED street lights have colour temperatures typically not exceeding 2700K.

The authority previously dismissed health concerns but in December 2024 retracted a public statement claiming its 4000K lights posed no risk.

A spokesman wrote: "The statement no longer reflects our position or understanding of some of the issues around LED lighting and, with hindsight, was too dismissive of these concerns."

The council's change of position followed campaigning by local resident and physicist Dr Gavin Rider, who is pushing for a complete UK ban on blue-rich street lighting.

He said: "I took action because my local authority claimed reports of health risks from blue-rich LED street lighting were just 'misinformation campaigns and conspiracy theories'. The scientific evidence speaks for itself and it begs the question: are deadly lights being used on our streets at night?"

Fred de Fossard, director of strategy at the think-tank Prosperity Institute, said: "This is another incidence of the negative aspects of the government's aggressive drive towards Net Zero."

He added that "unpopular LED lights are a sad consequence of Britain's green energy drive that the public see every day".

Shadow Energy Security Minister Greg Smith added: "Further research should be commissioned now, not after the fact. This is about getting the balance right between efficiency, safety, and quality of life, without pressing ahead and hoping concerns can be dealt with later."

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