Inert gas In food packaging, inert gases are used as a passive preservative, in contrast to active preservatives like sodium benzoate (an antimicrobial) or BHT (an antioxidant). Historical documents may also be stored under an inert gas to avoid degradation. For example, the original documents of the U.S. Constitution is stored under humidified argon. Helium was previously used, but it was less suitable because it diffuses out of the case more quickly than argon. Inert gases are often used in the chemical industry. In a chemical manufacturing plant, reactions can be conducted under inert gas to minimize fire hazards or unwanted reactions.
Phase-out of incandescent light bulbs U.S. House passed the final 2012 budget legislation, which effectively delayed the implementation until October 2012. In 2014 the spending bill proposed by the House effectively blocked the energy efficiency standards in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which would have made incandescent light bulbs obsolete. As of 2018, incandescent bulbs are set to be banned in the United States in 2020. In February 2007, Australia enacted a law that will, in effect, by legislating efficiency standards, disallow most sales of incandescent light bulbs by 2010. The Australian Federal Government announced minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) for lighting