California’s Fluorescent Ban: Why It Matters and How to Comply

THIS WEEK’S CONTRIBUTOR:
Patti Toews, Sustainability and Waste Minimization Business Leader
APTIM | Environment and Sustainability
Patti.Toews@APTIM.com
Patti Toews is a provider of sustainability and waste management solutions for our local and state government clients. She focuses on new and existing regulatory challenges and issues. Learn more about Patti here.

California’s Fluorescent Ban: Why It Matters and How to Comply

At the beginning of my local government career in California, I was responsible for public education and waste diversion programs. I distinctly remember with horror the state’s lead media and marketing push away from incandescent lighting to fluorescent lighting to save energy. Sixteen years ago, I was standing in a Fresno, California, warehouse filled ceiling to floor with pallets of fluorescent lights at (one of many) public giveaway events. I was thinking, “How will I educate the public and safely manage these mercury-filled lights once they burn out?”

The Dangers of Fluorescent Lights

For years, we have known that mercury is highly toxic to humans and the environment. In fact, the World Health Organization considers it one of the top 10 most dangerous chemicals impacting public health. This fact was largely ignored given that fluorescent lights significantly reduced energy consumption. For the last 16 years, local government officials and private companies have struggled to educate and safely manage this universal waste stream, often failing at the effort.

Yes, fluorescents reduce energy consumption, which is great for the environment but at the expense of exposing the public and environment to more mercury. These are unintended consequences of going green. Thankfully, today there are readily available mercury-fee alternatives, making the sale of compact fluorescent lamps and linear fluorescent lamps unnecessary. Light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs are a newer, mercury-free technology available in nearly every shape and size. LEDs give off less heat, last longer, are more energy efficient than fluorescent lighting, and contain no end-of-life mercury to safely manage.

About California’s Fluorescent Ban

This brings me to California’s Assembly Bill (AB) 2208: Mercury Lamp Pollution Prevention Act, which was supported by several industry lighting groups, local governments, waste haulers, and multiple policy think tanks and signed into law on Sept. 18, 2022. On and after Jan. 1, 2024, this new law will prohibit a screw or bayonet base type compact fluorescent lamps, and on and after Jan. 2, 2025, the pin-base types of compact fluorescent lamps or a linear fluorescent lamps for sale or distribution. The law exempts various lamps that meet specific criteria used mainly in the medical field.

How to Comply with the Ban

Clearly, this new law is good news for public health and environmental reasons, but what does it and other regulations mean for you and your organization? The answer is change, learning new environmental regulations, and meeting more regulatory requirements. This is where APTIM can help.

Our team of sustainability and waste minimization professionals understand the unique challenges that clients face in keeping up and complying with evolving federal, state, and municipal environmental and safety regulations. For over 30 years, we have been providing solutions to your environmental and safety regulatory challenges. Our team of sustainability and waste minimization professionals understand the unique needs that clients from a broad range of industries and local government face keeping up and complying with evolving federal, state, and municipal environmental and safety regulations.