June 18, 2024
Minnesota Becomes Latest State to Enact Fluorescent Ban
Phase-out targets most compact and linear fluorescent lamps starting January 2025
Minnesota has enacted stringent regulations to phase out general-purpose mercury-containing lamps, targeting a broad range of fluorescent lights, including compact and linear types. The legislation details the specifics of the types of lamps affected, manufacturing details, and exemptions.
This initiative aligns Minnesota with Vermont, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Maine, Oregon and Washington, all of which have taken steps to eliminate mercury-containing light sources. Illinois is also on the brink of enacting a similar ban, with a bill successfully passing in the state’s House and Senate in May 2024.
Notably, Minnesota’s approach offers a short transition period, with implementation effective on January 1, 2025. This contrasts with a ban enacted months ago in Washington state, granting manufacturers and retailers a five-year window to comply.
Under the ban, starting January 1, 2025, the sale, offer for sale, or distribution of certain mercury-containing lamps as new products will be prohibited. The types of lamps covered include:
Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs):
Both screw- or bayonet-base and pin-base type CFLs are included. The ban for screw- or bayonet-base types starts on January 1, 2025, while for pin-base types, it starts on January 1, 2026.
These are defined as compact, mercury-containing electric discharge light sources with varying tube diameters and lengths. They can be used in both directional and nondirectional installations and include styles such as PL, spiral, twin tube, triple twin, 2D, U-bend, and circular. These lamps transform ultraviolet energy into visible light through a fluorescent coating and can come with one base or end cap of any type including screw, bayonet, two pins, and four pins. CFLs can be either integrally ballasted or non-integrally ballasted and feature light emissions between a correlated color temperature of 1700K and 24000K with a Duv of +0.024 and -0.024 in the CIE Uniform Color Space (CAM02-UCS).
Linear Fluorescent Lamps:
These lamps, also low-pressure and mercury-containing, range in tube diameter (including T5 and T8) and can be as long as 8.0 feet. They include linear, U-bend, and circular shapes and have similar fluorescent coating properties to CFLs. Their bases can be single-pin, two-pin, or recessed double contact, and their light emission specifications match those of CFLs.
Mercury Vapor Lamps and Ballasts:
Includes clear, phosphor-coated, and self-ballasted screw base lamps. The sale or distribution of these lamps and their specific ballasts will be prohibited from January 1, 2025.
Exceptions: The legislation excludes certain specialized applications from this ban, such as lamps designed exclusively for image capture, projection, disinfection, and other specific uses not suitable for general illumination.
These efforts are part of Minnesota's broader environmental strategy to reduce hazardous waste and mitigate mercury pollution, aligning with the state's stated commitment to public health and environmental sustainability.