Lights Out for Incandescent Bulbs
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Image by Flickr / Tom Adamson
BC bans incandescent light bulbs in favour of energy-efficient compact florescent bulbs in accordance with Canada's new regulations for 2012
If you head to your local hardware store looking to replace a 75- or 100-watt incandescent bulb in the next few weeks, you may be in for a surprise.
A new energy-saving policy from the provincial government took effect with the arrival of 2011. This new policy prohibits retailers in BC from ordering new incandescent bulbs in favour of compact florescent lights (CFLs).
The good news on CFLs is they use one-third or less of the energy of incandescent bulbs and last between eight and 15 times longer. According to CBC News:
Natural Resources Canada has estimated that if every one of the country's 12 million households changed just one incandescent bulb for a compact fluorescent, that would result in a $73 million savings on our collective electricity bills as well as a corresponding 397,000 tonne reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, the equivalent of taking 66,000 cars off the road.
How to properly dispose of florescent lightbulbs
The problem is each CFL contains about 5 milligrams of mercury, a neurotoxin that can cause brain and kidney damage in humans and can poison streams and wetlands if not disposed of properly.
This means CFLs should not be thrown in the garbage for disposal.
And if you break a CFL bulb, the US EPA offers a rather disconcerting multi-step cleanup procedure:
- Air out the room for a quarter of an hour.
- Wear gloves. Sweep up the broken bulb. Double-bag the refuse (and recycle don’t toss the contents).
- Use duct tape to lift the residue from a carpet. Don’t use a vacuum cleaner, as that will only spread the problem.
- And the next time you do vacuum the area, immediately dispose of the vacuum bag.
Currently, there is no curbside recycling for CFLs. You can return spent bulbs to some of the big retailers with "take back" programs. Or check with Light Recycle, the BC Fluorescent Light Recycling Program, for a drop off near you.
Types of compact florescent lightbulbs
It's great to hear that the government does regulate the types of products that come out in the market. Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFL) offer a more cost effective solution than traditional bulbs.
Changing lights is a common household scenario, similar to Carpet Cleaning. Portland or any other state in the US would also benefit from these kinds of bulbs.
Hope that the same framework would be followed within US states. Thanks!
I can't stand fluorescent lights, I also have a hard time also dealing with the head lights in new cars. I have to wear sun glasses sometimes at night because of on coming head lights. I buy the light bulbs that are blue or the soft light. Now that incandescent lights have been banned it seems I'll have to ask a favor from junk hauling portland to save me some used incandescent light bulbs because fluorescents make my skin and head hurt.
I can not stand fluorescent lights. I have a hard time also dealing with the head lights in new cars. I have to wear sun glasses sometimes at night because of on coming head lights. I buy the light bulbs that are blue or the soft light. They may save money but I prefer to live with a light that doesn't make me sick.
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