We’re now up to 14 states and Canada that have enacted one or more restrictions or bans on mercury containing lamps. Some of the bans are already active, while others go into effect as early as January 1, 2025. LEDVANCE is maintaining a list on their website along with other helpful resources.
The big fluorescent news last week was that Minnesota has become the ninth state to pass a phase out of fluorescent lamps (the others are California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington). Minnesota’s timeline is aggressive – screw-based compact fluorescent lamps will be banned from sale six months from now, starting on January 1, 2025. Other fluorescent and mercury vapor lamps will be banned from sale beginning January 1, 2026.
The Minnesota House of Representatives has an information sheet about the new law here. What’s interesting is that the first topic is about reducing the hazard of exposure to mercury, not increasing energy efficiency. It’s not wrong, just curious. The information sheet then goes on to address reduced CO2 emissions, electricity savings, and reduced power plant mercury emissions.
Illinois also has fluorescent banning legislation working through the legislature, so by the end of the year we may see 10, 11 or more states that are phasing out fluorescents.
It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything because I’ve been working on a new book. More on that as we get closer to the publication date. Meanwhile, I’ve been asked (somewhat at the last minute) to speak on Monday June 3rd at an upcoming AIA New York event called Healing Light: The Biological and Social Effects of Lighting. The presentation will be an introduction to color temperature and color rendering and is primarily targeted at architects and interior designers who are new to lighting. Registration is free to AIA members and students, and only $10 for the general public.
The Minamata Convention on Mercury, a program of the United Nations with delegates from at least 150 countries, is dedicated to improving global health by phasing out the use of mercury in manufacturing, banning new mercury mines, and limiting mercury emissions. Last month, 147 countries (out of a global total of 195) agreed to phase out florescent lighting globally and completely by 2027.
According to the appliance efficiency non-profit, CLASP, the phase out will, between 2027 and 2050:
Early fluorescent lamps were being tested by Thomas Edison and Nicola Tesla in the 1890s, but it took several advances before they were ready for commercial use around the 1940s. According to the Department of Energy, by 1951 more light was being produced in the US by fluorescent lamps than by incandescent lamps. But, this always came at a cost. Fluorescent lamps work by passing an electric current through gaseous mercury, which emits ultraviolet light, which in turn is converted to visible light by the phosphors that line the fluorescent tube. When discarded (and eventually broken) the mercury would enter the environment, which is why the EPA began encouraging fluorescent lamp recycling and mercury recovery in the mid-2000s. Mercury is a neurotoxin, and symptoms of prolonged and/or acute exposures include:
So, after around 70 years as the dominant commercial light source, and 10 years of decline after the introduction of LEDs, the fluorescent lamp has joined kerosene, whale oil, and others as an historical or legacy light source.
Tom Butters, the Founder and Executive Director of The Lighting Agora (full disclosure: I’m a member) was recently interviewed by LightNOW. You can read it here: Interview: Tom Butters On The Lighting Agora | LightNOW
I’ll be giving two presentations in the next month.
On September 8th I’ll be giving an online presentation to the Raleigh Section of the IES. Simplifying, Understanding, and Applying IES TM-30 will be from 12:30 to 1:30 eastern. I’m going to set aside the color science that normally opens a TM-30 presentation to make more time for Annex E and the PVF specification system. Admission is free. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/simplifying-understanding-and-applying-ies-tm-30-tickets-695339287527?aff=oddtdtcreator
On September 19th and 20th Tony Esposito and I will be presenting Designing with TM-30, our third TM-30 presentation at ArchLIGHT Summit in Dallas, TX. This 90 minute presentation starts with Tony talking about color science as it applies to TM-30, then I discuss integrating TM-30 into the lighting design workflow, and we wrap up with a 30 minute demonstration of TM-30s capabilities with the best mockup I’ve ever seen (see below for Tony’s photos of last year’s mockup). Register here: https://archlightsummit2023.sched.com/
I have written a lot about TM-30 from the specifier’s viewpoint – how TM-30 is better than CRI, explanations of the various TM-30 measures. why TM-30 data and reports are so important, how to get TM-30 data or reports, how to use TM-30, etc.
This month’s LD+A has a great article about TM-30 from the manufacturer’s viewpoint that addresses issues such as – why TM-30 reports for every LED option aren’t always available, why some manufacturers are reluctant to prepare TM-30 reports, strategies specifiers can use to deal with these issues, and more. It’s a very useful article. Give it a read at TM-30 Update: Challenges and strategies for working with SSL manufacturers – Illuminating Engineering Society %
We’ve known for a while that the day was coming, and now it’s here. Effective yesterday retailers will no longer be permitted to sell most incandescent lamps (which includes halogen lamps) in the U.S. There are some exceptions for things like bug lights, but not many.
Replacement lamps for sale now must produce at least 45 lumens per watt, which is easily achieved by LEDs but impossible with incandescents.
The Department of Energy estimates that consumers will save about $3 billion per year. ( Of course, this assumes they buy quality lamps that don’t fail within a year, which is a real problem with off brand, and even some name brand, lamps.)
Source: New Energy Efficiency Rules Ban Incandescent Light Bulbs: What to Know – The New York Times
On August 16th I’ll be giving a presentation for the American Lighting Association (ALA) called Back to Basics: Fixtures, Spacing, and Techniques. Here’s their description.
This course will provide an introductory level overview of common fixture types and how they should be spaced/installed. Downlights, wall washers, wall grazers, under shelf, track lighting, LED fixtures, and small size LED fixtures. Learn with the use of drawings/renderings of proper spacing ratios and angle of focus as well as other critical information. This is a can’t miss information for lighting designers, sales professionals, and installers.
The presentation is online at 12 noon, eastern. If you’re interested you can sign up here.