The Facts: Ban on Incandescent Light Bulbs

In less than three weeks, it will be illegal to manufacture 100-watt incandescent bulbs or import them into the United States. While some people have little or no strong feelings either way, there are those who are wholeheartedly in favor of the new law, and others who are adamantly opposed.

 The Law: Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007

Light bulbs from 40 watts through 100 watts must be 25% more efficient, by the following dates:

- January 1, 2012 for 100 watt bulbs
- January 1, 2013 for 75 watt bulbs
- January 1, 2014 for 60 watt bulbs 
- February 28, 2014 for 40 watt bulbs

Since most current incandescent lamps do not meet this standard, this effectively bans them as of the above dates.  

CFL's - Compact Fluorescent Lamps                                                                                          
 
At about $4.00 a pop, compact fluorescent lamps are about four times more expensive than standard lamps. Those cute little curly shaped CFLs do last longer and will save you a lot of money...

But, if the bulb is broken, they can create a hazardous waste nightmare in your home. And while they do come with a disposal warning label - few people read a warning label on a light bulb. Furthermore, many of the CFL’s made in China can start a fire when the ballast burns out.

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Recent studies have linked CFL lamps to a number of health problems including fatigue, eye strain and migraine headaches, and if broken, compact fluorescent are hazardous to your health. Some manufacturers have started to label their boxes with warnings on how to deal with a broken bulb. In fact, some states will now require that you recycle these bulbs at special facilities because of the large amount of mercury contained in each bulb.

The problem is the toxic mercury inside and which poses a big problem for landfills and if the bulb breaks, for homeowners.
  

 LED's - not CFL's - are the Future of Lighting

Replacing just one incandescent bulb with an LED lamp from Lighting Science can save more than $430 over the lifetime of the bulb.
 
LED lamps are brighter, don't flicker, don't require special handling, and last up to fifty times longer than incandescents! What's more, they use even less energy than hazardous compact fluorescent bulbs. 

An LED 100-watt equivalent lamp puts out as much light as a 100 incandescent bulb, but uses only one-tenth the power. Plus, it can burn for 11 years.

Sure, LED's will cost more than a standard bulb. But because they last so much longer and save so much more in electricity costs, they more than make up for it in less than a year's usage.

View our exclusive Guide to Energy Efficient Lamps, which outlines all the costs factors to consider before you make a purchase.  

Find about utility Rebate Programs available in New York and 
New Jersey for LED lighting... 
 

 100 Watt Incandescent Light Bulbs Are Still Available... For Now

 
Many have already embraced the new light bulbs, while others will use the old fashioned bulbs as long as they possibly can. Americans are stockpiling 100 watt incandescent lamps for their own use. As the deadline comes, it's only logical that the price of these lamps will increase as the available supply decreases.

If you are among those who might wish to have a light bulb choice in the future, that choice will need to be in your pantry, as eventually, it will not be on the shelves of your local supply house. 



In three weeks, these bulbs can no longer be made in, or imported into, the United States.