subject: EU Light Bulb Directive – The Phasing Out of Incandescent Bulbs [print this page] Author: Art Icklewright Author: Art Icklewright
From the 1st September 2009 a new EU ruling has come into force which is effectively designed to phase out the sale and use of incandescent bulbs in favour of the use and sale of low energy / energy saving / halogen / CFL light bulbs. This phasing out is scheduled to happen in stages over the next 3 years. This Septembers first phase means that manufacturers must no longer supply, and retailers can no longer restock clear 100W incandescent light bulbs or frosted opaque light bulbs i.e. those frosted and pearl that arent a minimum A-class. The phasing out actually began last year when the 150W bulbs were withdrawn, and in reality there has been an ongoing move away from incandescent bulbs form many supermarkets / superstore chains (the largest volume bulb retailers) and bulb and lighting retail outlets in recent years anyway. The reason for the phasing out is essentially an environmental one. Incandescent bulbs are highly inefficient (they waste 95% of their energy as heat), they damage the environment by producing carbon (in CO2 form), mercury, and they are not easy to recycle. Coupled with this, they last a relatively short time, and the constant need for replacement keeps this pollution cycle high.The replacement for traditional incandescent bulbs are low energy / energy saving, halogen, CFL bulbs. The large variety of them means that there should be no problem in attaching them to existing fittings. These new low energy light bulbs last 10 time longer than normal bulbs, and require much less energy to produce the same amount of light. This means that the higher purchase price is outweighed by the actual energy cost saving from using the bulb e.g. 1 energy saving bulb could save you 6 a year compared to a traditional incandescent bulb. The environmental benefits are just as good. Quite apart from all the benefits of less energy being needed for lighting for the country as a whole anyway as we switch over to low energy bulbs, each individual bulb produces much less CO2 (thus reducing carbon in the atmosphere), gives less mercury pollution, and is recyclable. Over the next 3 years, more EU regulations will come into force to hopefully complete the switch to energy saving lighting beginning with 60W and 75W incandescent lamps in the next 2 years, and ending with the removal of all other clear incandescent lamps (40W and 25W) by 2012.About the Author:
