Starting in January 2012, look for labels on packages of light bulbs. Like the nutrition label on packaged food, the Federal Trade Commission-mandated new labels will tell consumers all about the bulbs they buy.
The Lighting Facts label already has begun appearing on some bulb packages and will be on all medium screw-base bulbs, the ones that screw into a traditional light socket, by Jan. 1, a delay of six months from the original date.
The label emphasizes lumen output, not watts as the old labels do.
Every light bulb will alert consumers of the package contents in three places:
- A label on the front of the package will contain information on brightness, or lumen output, and the estimated cost to burn the bulb for one year.
- A Lighting Facts label on the back of the package will repeat the information about brightness and energy cost, and add facts about the bulb’s life expectancy; light appearance, whether the light it shines is “warm” or “cool”; the wattage, or the amount of energy the bulb uses; and whether the bulb contains mercury.
- Printed directly on the bulb will be the lumen output and whether the bulb contains mercury. The Department of Energy has come up with a separate Lighting Facts label for LEDs (light-emitting diodes). Manufacturers may voluntarily affix the label to their solid-state lighting products after they pass tests that verify their claims about performance and lifespan.
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