Canada’s Department of the Environment and Department of Health have proposed amendments to the 1999 Canadian Environmental Protection Act that would effectively phase out the manufacture of most fluorescent lamps by the end of 2023 and ban the sale of most fluorescent lamps by the end of 2026. The proposal centers around the environmental risks of lamps containing mercury – and not energy efficiency or meeting specific lumens per watt targets.
The proposed Amendments would affect numerous categories of lamp products including linear and compact fluorescent lamps. The majority of affected lamps would be prohibited in December 2023, with a three-year interim period where replacement lamps would be permitted before the full prohibition takes place in December 2026.
Additionally, all other mercury-containing lamp manufacturing and imports, except those used for air and water treatment as well as fluorescent and discharge lamps under the catch-all category, would be prohibited by December 2031.
The lamp types cited below have proposed manufacture/import end dates of December 31, 2023 and sales end date of December 31, 2026.
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Pin-base compact fluorescent lamp for general lighting purposes
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Straight fluorescent lamp for general lighting purposes
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Non-linear fluorescent lamp for general lighting purposes, including a circular or square fluorescent lamp
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Induction fluorescent lamp for general lighting purposes