may last eight to fifteen times longer. Newer phosphor formulations have improved the perceived color, with "soft white" CFLs judged subjectively similar to standard incandescent lamps. Objections more specifically relating to compact fluorescent light bulbs include the different quality of light produced by phosphor-based lamps compared to incandescent lamps and that compact fluorescent light bulbs contain small amounts of mercury, a potent neurotoxin, which is especially dangerous to children and pregnant women, and made more serious by the confined area into which mercury would be dispersed in the event of a breakage indoors. Environmental concerns about mercury contamination from CFLs have been raised, but they can be shown to emit less mercury into the environment overall compared to traditional incandescent bulbs, due to the significant reductions in power plant emissions. Compact fluorescent lamps start poorly when cold, and most types cannot be dimmed. A few specialist applications are unsuitable for CFLs. Light emitting diode (LED) lamps are used for both general and special-purpose lighting. Their advantages over fluorescent bulbs are that they contain no mercury, they turn on instantly at any temperature, their extremely long lifetime is unaffected by cycling on and off, they have no glass to break, and they do not emit UV rays that fade colored materials. LED lamps radiate much less heat than other technologies, and can be either multi-directional or unidirectional, eliminating the need for a mirrored reflector in the bulb or fixture. LED lamps can emit saturated colored light. Disadvantages include spectrum limitations due to discrete emission colors. Their purchase cost was much higher than other bulbs, but has decreased steadily over the years. Regional developments Africa Botswana Botswana has an exchange program distributing CFL bulbs. ECOWAS Of the members of ECOWAS, Cape Verde, Guinea, Mali, Nigeria, Benin and Togo have had exchange programs to replace incandescent bulbs with energy efficient versions. Ghana banned incandescent bulbs in 2008 and Senegal has banned the manufacture and import. Egypt Egypt is reported to have a partial ban on incandescent light bulbs. Kenya Kenya has a programme to exchange a number of light bulbs with more efficient types. Morocco Morocco has a programme to exchange a number of light bulbs with more efficient types. Namibia Namibia has an exchange program which distributed 1 million energy saving bulbs in 2016. Rwanda Rwanda has an exchange program, distributing CFL bulbs. South Africa South Africa phased out incandescent light bulbs