Newcandescent 100 watt bulb to be produced after ban

A South Hackensack, NJ company seems to have found a loophole in the upcoming ban — "rough use" standards.

Larry Birnbaum, owner of the Light Bulb Store in South Hackensack, thinks he has a bright idea. He developed the Newcandescent bulb, an incandescent bulb that meets new federal standards for so-called "rough" use (like in a moving car or truck) but that he wants to sell for everyday use. He compared it to a doctor prescribing a drug for one condition, even though it was originally developed for another.

He hopes to start selling the new bulbs in January. They will go for about $1.65 each, compared with about 60 cents for current incandescents and about $2.25 to $3.50 for compact fluorescents that give the equivalent of 100 watts of light.

Birnbaum made a few changes to the typical "rough-use" incandescent to meet new federal standards, including using krypton gas to make it last 10 times longer. But he acknowledged that they're not as energy-efficient as LEDs and compact fluorescents.

"People want a choice," said Birnbaum, whose family has been in the lighting industry for three generations (his grandfather knew Thomas Edison). Along with selling light bulbs in his small store, Birnbaum also imports, develops and manufactures them. His company employs six people in South Hackensack and 60 at a factory in Indiana.

Of course we want a choice!.