Mass. Law Affects Christmas Lights On Homes

You can no longer buy incandescent light bulbs in Massachusetts. The new federal law took effect on Aug. 1, 2023. What what about Christmas lights? Can you still buy the glass incandescent lights for your Christmas decorating? Yes, you can. Here's why...

The New Law Regarding Use Of Christmas Lights In Massachusetts

Thankfully for fans, the amount of energy use that incandescent Christmas lights use is less than the amount of the banned lights. Remember, the new law applies to the purchase of new lights, anyway. Any old Christmas lights you have hanging around in the garage or attic are still good to go.

We all know that, although more expensive, LED bulbs last longer. Like, way longer. The average 60W incandescent bulb lasts about 1000 hours, where as a 12W LED bulb will get you 25,000 hours of light.

Why The National Ban?

Energy usage.

The rule passed by President Joe Biden’s Department of Energy in April 2022 states that light bulbs must emit a minimum of 45 lumens per watt. A lumen is a measure of brightness. -cnn.com

Do You Have To Throw Away Your Incandescent Bulbs Right Away?

No, absolutely not.

The ban just prevents the sale and manufacture of incandescent bulbs.

In fact, not all are banned.

• Appliance lamps, including fridge and oven lights
• Black lights
• Bug lamps
• Colored lamps
• Christmas lights
• Infrared lamps
• Left-handed thread lamps
• Plant lights
• Flood lights
• Reflector lamps
• Showcase lamps
• Traffic signals
• Some other specialty lights, including marine lamps and some odd-sized bulbs.

The above list are examples of bulbs that will still be manufactured for a little while.

Can LED Bulbs Be Recycled?

Yes.

The glass, metal, and plastic in LEDs can be recycled (95%).

If you choose to get rid of your incandescent bulbs right away, those can be thrown in the trash.