As the new year begins, Illinois is introducing nearly 300 new laws. While some of these laws are widely publicized, others may go unnoticed, such as the recently enacted ban on compact fluorescent light bulbs.
Illinois is now the 10th state to prohibit fluorescent light bulbs, following the passage of the Clean Lighting Act, which will take effect in 2026.
What to know about the Clean Lighting Act
This new law amends the Illinois Environmental Protection Act to prohibit the use of mercury-containing fluorescent light bulbs.
The Illinois ban will begin with a partial restriction in 2026, targeting the production and sale of screw-based and bayonet-based compact fluorescent lamps.
The law will take full effect in 2027 and will also include pin-based compact fluorescent lights and fluorescent tubes. Existing fluorescent bulbs can remain in use, but they must be replaced with LED bulbs once they burn out.
However, there are some exceptions to the ban, including use in medical applications, academic research, headlights on vehicles manufactured before 2020, and a few other circumstances.