Low-Mercury CFL Bulbs have low mercury content.
Press Release Summary:
Offered as replacement for 60 W incandescent bulbs, 13W Ecobulb® Plus bulbs contain 50% of National Electrical Manufacturers Association proposed mercury content and 50% less mercury than European Reduction of Hazardous Substances standards. These low-mercury compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs also contains minimal levels of lead, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, and polybrominated biphenyls.
Original Press Release:
Feit Electric Introduces Ecobulb® Plus Low-Mercury Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb
PICO RIVERA, Calif., Aug. 30 -- Feit Electric(R), a leading U.S.-based manufacturer and supplier of energy-efficient light bulbs, introduced today the Ecobulb Plus -- the first widely available low-mercury compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) in the U.S. With Ecobulb Plus, Feit Electric is demonstrating its commitment to the environment. In addition to containing the lowest level of mercury in the industry, the Ecobulb Plus also contains lower levels of lead, cadmium, hexavalent chromium and polybrominated biphenyls.
"We are excited to be the first CFL manufacturer to widely offer consumers a low-mercury alternative to the standard CFL," said Feit Electric president and CEO, Aaron Feit. "Not only is Ecobulb Plus the most environmentally sensitive compact fluorescent bulb, but it also offers superior quality and performance. As of July 1, it represents 60 percent of our production."
Feit Electric developed Ecobulb Plus to meet the growing demand for energy-efficient CFL bulbs with lower mercury content. Although there are only trace amounts of mercury in a typical CFL, it is an essential element of CFL bulbs. Coupled with proper CFL disposal, low-mercury CFLs like Ecobulb Plus will go a long way to protecting the environment.
Currently, CFLs are more than five percent of all light bulb sales in the U.S. In some regions, such as the Northwest, sales of CFLs are as high as 15 percent. With environmental public awareness campaigns such as 18seconds.org and EPA's ENERGY STAR Change a Light, Change the World driving consumer demand, that percentage is expected to grow rapidly. In addition, states such as California have gone so far as to propose banning incandescent bulbs, which are viewed as energy wasting.
"There is a revolution going on right now in the lighting industry," continued Feit. "We are hearing from our customers that they are concerned about global warming and want to make a difference. If every American household replaced one of their incandescent bulbs with an energy-efficient CFL, it would save more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars."
By using Ecobulb Plus, consumers can decrease the amount of energy used in homes, save money and lower the amount of greenhouse gas emissions generated by burning fossil fuels to produce electricity. In fact, Ecobulb Plus CFLs use 75 percent less energy and last up to 13 times longer than standard incandescent bulbs.
"The Ecobulb Plus is a natural progression for us, building on our track record of developing new technologies, which in turn, power high quality products," said Feit. "Consumers and industry understand that the most innovative products don't necessarily come from the largest companies. Because we manufacture our own products, we can maintain and ensure the highest quality for our cutting edge CFLs."
The 13-watt Ecobulb Plus, a replacement for 60-watt incandescent bulbs, contains 50 percent of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association proposed mercury content and 50 percent less mercury than European Reduction of Hazardous Substances standards. Feit Electric Products are available at Walgreens, Lowe's (under the Bright Effects brand), Bed, Bath and Beyond, Menards and other retailers.
About Feit Electric
Established in 1978 by current president and CEO, Aaron Feit, Feit Electric is a leading prime manufacturer of light bulbs with a specialty in energy-efficient lighting products. Feit Electric is known for its quality products and industry innovation. The company pioneered the mini-twist, a line of CFLs that are the exact size of their incandescent counterparts and most recently the low-mercury Ecobulb Plus. Feit Electric's manufacturing capabilities span the globe from Los Angeles to the Far East. Feit Electric products are sold at hardware stores, supermarkets, mass merchandisers, warehouse clubs and lighting showrooms throughout the country. For more information on Feit Electric, visit www.feit.com/. For more information on Ecobulb Plus, visit http://www.ecobulbplus.com/.
