Backlash over light bulb ban continues to build in Europe

On September 1, the European Union began to enforce a ban on incandescent light bulbs. The response was immediate outcry from thousands of EU citizens who felt the blanket ban was overdone and failed to take into account hazards from compact fluorescent bulbs containing the toxic heavy metal mercury, according to the New York Times.

Nine days later, the furor has failed to subside. Europeans are hoarding still available supplies of incandescent bulbs and the airwaves are lit up with complaints about the Draconian energy saving enforcement measure. Concerns have arisen as to whether the CFLs provide adequate light for people with less than perfect vision. Then there's the worry that mercury in CFLs represents a major environmental risk.