Illinois Just Banned A Common Item That Might Put You In The Dark

Maybe you remember what happened a little over a year back, on August 1st of 2023, or perhaps you've blocked it out.

August 1st of last year marked the first official day of the ban on the sales and manufacture of incandescent lightbulbs throughout the United States, after about 16 years of wrangling between presidential administrations.

The genesis of the incandescent lightbulb ban happened in 2022 when the Department of Energy passed a rule that light bulbs must emit a minimum of 45 lumens per watt (a lumen is a measure of brightness). That basically ended the manufacture of incandescent lightbulbs because they provide just 15 lumens per watt. LED bulbs can give you 75 lumens or more per watt.

So, now that incandescent lightbulbs have gone the way of the dinosaurs, the government has needed and now found something else to ban, at least here in Illinois and nine other states.

This.

And these.

Illinois Has Now Become The 10th State To Ban Fluorescent Lights

If you recall, back in 2007 we were told to go ahead and use up whatever stock of incandescent lightbulbs we had, then make the switch to fluorescent lighting, specifically compact fluorescent lights (CFLs), because a ban was coming.

Many people did that, then made the switch to LED lights. In 2015, a survey showed that about 4 percent of Americans were using LED lighting, but the same survey in 2020 showed that number had moved up to over 50 percent. Over 25 percent said they were using fluorescent or compact fluorescent lighting.

Which means around 1 out of every four Illinois residents is going to have to make another change when the fluorescent lights are officially banned in 2026.  Vermont, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Maine, Oregon, Washington and Minnesota all have similar bans in effect or on their way toward implementation.

Illinois Policy:

The Clean Lighting Act changes language in the Illinois Environmental Protection Act prohibiting mercury-containing fluorescent light bulbs. The law starts with a partial ban in 2026 which applies to the production or sale of screw-based or bayonet-based compact fluorescent lamps.

The law takes full effect in 2027 and extends to pin-base compact fluorescent lights and fluorescent tubes. Fluorescent bulbs already in use will be allowed but will have to be replaced with LED bulbs when they burn out.

Are There Any Exceptions To The Coming Ban On Fluorescent Lighting?

As a matter of fact, there are. Just like the incandescent lightbulb ban had some exceptions, Illinois' ban on fluorescent lighting does, too. InsideLighting has the list of exceptions:

• Image Capture and Projection Lamps: Used in photocopying, printing, film projection, and other similar activities.
• Ultraviolet (UV) Lamps: Specifically designed for germicidal purposes, disinfection, and other specialized uses.
• Medical and Veterinary Lamps: Lamps designed for medical diagnostics, treatment, or use in medical devices.
• Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Lamps: Employed in the production and quality control of pharmaceuticals.
• Spectroscopy and Photometry Lamps: Used in scientific research and process monitoring.
• Academic and Research Lamps: Reserved for exclusive use in research within academic institutions.
• Motor Vehicle Lamps: CFLs used in vehicles manufactured before January 1, 2020.
• Non-LED Alternatives: CFLs and linear fluorescent lamps sold before January 1, 2028, may continue to be sold if no LED alternatives are available.