Citing important developments in medicine and science, he praises technological innovations that have allowed better monitoring of changing environmental conditions. He also praises recent telecommunications technologies for increasing dialogue about environmental issues around the world. The Philips Lighting Company is urging the EPA not to take spent fluorescent light bulbs off its list of most-hazardous substances. Philips has created a new line of fluorescent lamp, the Alto, that is currently the only one in the industry to pass EPA's tests for mercury. Users of the Alto could dispose of spent bulbs simply by throwing them away, while users of competitors' brands would still have to arrange for special hazardous waste disposal.
Fluorescent bulbs contain mercury, which can contaminate ground water when disposed of in landfills.
Two years ago, Philips' Alto became the first product of its kind to pass EPA's Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure test, or T-Clip, for mercury leaching. This gives Philips a marketing advantage in supplying the 550 million fluorescent bulbs used by industry each year. Philips wants the bulbs to be covered under EPA's universal waste rule. This would ease the requirements for record-keeping by Philips' consumers, but would still require special handling. GE and Sylvania want EPA to pass a condition exclusion rule for all fluorescent bulbs, which would allow them to be disposed of in regular landfills.