End of an era - GE closed last light bulb plant in US

[David Weaver]

I bought a bunch of them when I heard they were going to be "banned" and the local Walmarts and Targets were getting rid of them for almost nothing. I always buy up as much as I can of anything that is on the upcoming "ban" list. Ever cracked open a small fluorescent bulb? The manufacturing of all those electronic components can't be good for the environment. Don't they also have mercury in the actual bulb part? I harvest the parts and use them in guitar circuits.

They have mercury in them, but not tons. They are something you don't want to have your face in when they break, but you can clean them up when they do and not assume everyone is going to be brain dead in fifteen minutes (which some people will try to convince you. I've cleaned up several, so if they make you really stupid...I was already there, because nothing changed).

[Roger Myers]

While it is true that incandescent light bulbs are being legislated out of production over time (not all at once), it is not true that the last incandecent plant in the US has been closed. Sylvania still produces incandescent lamps at their manufacturing plant in St Marys, Pennsylvania, and the glass bulbs are produced in nearby Wellsboro, Pennsylvania...with some other components in the lamp coming from other US and NAFTA locations.
Also, there will continue to be special purpose incandescent bulbs produced.
Sylvania also produces flourescent lamps and glass in Versailles, Kentucky...Halogen lamps in Winchester, Kentucky, ...automotive lamps in Hillsboro, NH...and high intensity discharge lamps in Manchester, NH...with other US, Canadian, and Mexican plants, in addition to plants all over the world.

Disclaimer... I have worked for Sylvania for over 25 years.

Roger

[Joe Leigh]

I've got tons of them, too. I have no dimmers. I'm dim on my own.

If anyone wants to practice some fit of government defiance, come over to my house. I have a few that came in fixtures and machines that are full size and say nothing but CHINA on them, and that produce a crappy amount of light for the amount of electricity they consume.

We can turn them all on, maybe smoke some cigars and drink some bootleg whiskey. Once I get you all drunk, we'll build a small shed without obtaining a building permit and put oil lights in it that run by burning melted styrofoam.

And maybe build an outhose close to the neighbor's property (or on it) and poison some suburban squirrels (which I would LOVE to do) that reside near my bird feeder, as shots in the back with a wrist rocket don't seem to deter them for long (actually, they're starting to watch for the shots, and if they're close, they duck and dodge them).

Toss in shooting feral cats with an air rifle and you can count me in!!

[Matt Meiser]

Probably a lot like the Kindle vs. book argument. Incandescent bulbs don't last as long so there's waste throughout the lifecycle. They've probably got some trace amount of heavy metals in them. Then there's the energy they use, most of which is fossil-fuel generated here. And of course there are traces of mercury in those emissions. I've never seen a comparison, but I'd bet the CFLs, while clearly not perfect, are better overall.

[Dan Hintz]

Toss in shooting feral cats with an air rifle and you can count me in!!

Took you long enough to get that one in, Joe

[Mitchell Andrus]

While it is true that incandescent light bulbs are being legislated out of production over time (not all at once), it is not true that the last incandecent plant in the US has been closed. Sylvania still produces incandescent lamps at their manufacturing plant in St Marys,

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...090706933.html

I read more into the headline than was warranted. GE has closed, blah, blah....

Although.... The article also goes on to say:

"The last major U.S. factory making ordinary incandescent light bulbs will soon be closing. When it does, the remaining 200 workers at the Winchester, Va., plant, about 70 miles west of Washington, D.C., will lose their jobs, marking a small, sad exit for a product that began with Thomas Alva Edison's innovations in the 1870s."



So...if you think Sylvania is a major producer that ISN'T closing perhaps a quick call to the Washington Post is in order.
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[Roger Myers]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...090706933.html

I read more into the headline than was warranted. GE has closed, blah, blah....

Although.... The article also goes on to say:

"The last major U.S. factory making ordinary incandescent light bulbs will soon be closing. When it does, the remaining 200 workers at the Winchester, Va., plant, about 70 miles west of Washington, D.C., will lose their jobs, marking a small, sad exit for a product that began with Thomas Alva Edison's innovations in the 1870s."



So...if you think Sylvania is a major producer that ISN'T closing perhaps a quick call to the Washington Post is in order.
.

Mitch... I'm a VP with Sylvania and do know for a fact that St Marys will continue to produce.... but this isn't the first time the press gets some facts wrong, or incomplete... I'll drop a note to our PR folks, but this stuff is seldom worth the effort to get into discussions with them on...
Thanks for the link though!
Roger

[Pat Germain]

Probably a lot like the Kindle vs. book argument. Incandescent bulbs don't last as long so there's waste throughout the lifecycle. They've probably got some trace amount of heavy metals in them. Then there's the energy they use, most of which is fossil-fuel generated here. And of course there are traces of mercury in those emissions. I've never seen a comparison, but I'd bet the CFLs, while clearly not perfect, are better overall.

I think you're right about that, Matt.

[Dan Mages]

Has anyone seen a CFL that replaces appliance bulbs? I haven't... I also haven't seen alternatives for night light bulbs that are worth their weight. Incandescent bulbs still have a purpose that Congress cannot legislate out of existence.

I have been using CFLs around the house and have an LED candle bulb in my girl's room. It works really well and only consumes 5 watts... If they come down in price and improved quality, I might get more.

Dan

[rick carpenter]

You'll have to start evaluating locations to determine if they are incandescent-worthy. (Seinfeld fans will get this.)

[Matt Meiser]

I just remembered that I also have a CFL bulb in my old gas pump which is on a photocell. Its just a couple watts and has been in there a good 4 years or so, outside. Its "TCP" branded which is a line our local Do-It-Best hardware store carries that has a lot of obscure CFLs.

[Mitchell Andrus]

You'll have to start evaluating locations to determine if they are incandescent-worthy. (Seinfeld fans will get this.)

Yea, good one.
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[Curt Harms]

Sounds like a woodworker's invitation to do some metalwork with the frame of that lamp.....a coat hanger and a mapp torch

Welder, actually . We have one swing arm lamp that uses a unique harp arrangement--it has a short curved perpendicular T bar that clips into the lamp base. SWMBO wanted to use a 3 way CFL in it so I bought the 'fattest' harp I could find, cut the end off the original harp and welded that end to the new harp. It looks a little strange, (not TOO bad) but that's what lamp shades are for .

[Jason Roehl]

You'll have to start evaluating locations to determine if they are incandescent-worthy. (Seinfeld fans will get this.)

I laughed heartily from my diaphragm when I read this...

[Jeffrey Makiel]

[URL]The article also goes on to say:

"The last major U.S. factory making ordinary incandescent light bulbs will soon be closing. When it does, the remaining 200 workers at the Winchester, Va., plant, about 70 miles west of Washington, D.C., will lose their jobs, marking a small, sad exit for a product that began with Thomas Alva Edison's innovations in the 1870s."

When will the light bulb over America's head go on with the thought that this might be a bad thing?

-Jeff