Vermont to become the first state to ban mercury-containing lighting

Vermont’s Department of Environmental Conservation plans to issue a decision on the future of mercury-containing lightbulbs in the state in 2022. Vermont will probably be the first US state in the nation to do so.

A petition to ban the lights was sent to the department in October from the Vermont Public Interest Research Group, the Mercury Policy Project, the Clean Lighting Coalition and the Appliance Standards Awareness project.

Current state law says fluorescent bulbs can be sold only until there is a mercury-free alternative that works as well at an equal or lower cost.