The time has now come to say good-bye to the 60W light bulb as the EU ban on 60W incandescent light bulbs comes into effect on the 1st September 2011.
Already 75W, 100W, and all clear incandescent bulbs have been banned in terms of manufacturing and importing of into the EU. Retailers are still allowed to store and sell these light bulbs until stocks run out.The phasing out of incandescent light bulbs is seen as a major step towards cutting the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions. Dr Matt Prescott, writer of the blog ‘Ban the Bulb’, suggests that the move could save the UK between 2 and 5 million tonnes of CO2 a year depending on how much electricity is generated.
The older tungsten filament light bulbs were known to be inefficient producing light as well as heat and having shorter life spans than newer energy saving light bulbs.
Some of the advantages to energy saving light bulbs are:
- They can run up to 10,000 hours before they need to be changed.
- They use up to 80% less electricity than a standard bulb.
- An energy saving light bulb saves £2.70 per year on energy bills or £37 for a whole house.
- Dimmable bulbs are now available.
- The invention of ‘soft tone’ bulbs has given them a warmer glow.
(Source: Energy Saving Trust)
Energy saving light bulbs includes Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs), Energy Saving Halogen Light Bulbs and LED Lights. If you are unsure look for the energy saving logo on the packaging.
Remember: Do not throw away old light bulbs into glass recycling as it contains metal filaments, put them in your general waste bin. For energy saving light bulbs take them to your local recycling centre as they may contain Mercury and need dedicated recycling bins.